Clinical and economic burden of visual impairment in an aging society of South Korea

Whereas the incidence of visual impairment and blindness (VI&B) is decreasing, the total number of VI&B is increasing due to the growth of elderly population. To compare the clinical and economic outcomes of patients with and without VI&B (ie, cases and controls) in Korea, a case-control study was performed using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Patients Sample data. Cases had higher prevalence for all of the Charlson Comorbidity Index components, depression, fracture, and injury as well as eye diseases compared to age- and sex-matched controls. In regression after adjustment of concomitant diseases, cases had 2.7 times (95% confidence interval = 2.3-3.2) higher medical expenditure than controls. The results of this study confirm that patients with VI&B have significantly higher direct medical expenditures and concomitant diseases than those without VI&B and highlight the need for a public health strategy to reduce potentially avoidable costs attributed to VI&B.