Association between visual impairment and health care utilization.

Abstract Purpose To determine the association between visual impairment (VI) and medical care use. Design Population-based cohort study Methods Setting Population-based. Study Population This cohort includes individuals from 2007 to 2017. All patients who newly developed visual disability were identified using the Disability Registry. All patients were aged ≥20 years. Intervention or Observation Procedure(s) All patients were observed until they became visually impaired (case group). They were then matched with 2 control groups: (1) people with nonvisual disability and (2) people without any disability. Main Outcome Measure(s) : (1) Ophthalmic outpatient and inpatient use and (2) nonophthalmic outpatient and inpatient use. Results Compared with people with nonvisual disability, those with visual disability demonstrated a lower nonophthalmic outpatient costs (−NT$42 841, P Conclusions Studies investigating the effect of VI on medical use should differentiate aggregate use into different types. Utilization of ophthalmic and nonophthalmic care for people with VI should be compared with that of people with other disability types and people without disability.