Insights into inpatients with poor vision: A high value proposition.

backgroundVision impairment is an under-recognized risk factor for adverse events among hospitalized patients, yet vision is neither routinely tested nor documented for inpatients. Low-cost ($8 and up) nonprescription "readers" may be a simple, high-value intervention to improve inpatients' vision. We aimed to study initial feasibility and efficacy of screening and correcting inpatients' vision.

methodsFrom June 2012 through January 2014 we began testing whether participants' vision corrected with nonprescription lenses for eligible participants failing a vision screen (Snellen chart) performed by research assistants (RAs). Descriptive statistics and tests of comparison, including t tests and χ(2) tests, were used when appropriate. All analyses were performed using Stata version 12 (StataCorp, College Station, TX).

resultsOver 800 participants' vision was screened (n = 853). Older (≥65 years; 56%) participants were more likely to have insufficient vision than younger (<65 years; 28%; P < 0.001). Nonprescription readers corrected the majority of eligible participants' vision (82%, 95/116). DISCUSSION: Among an easily identified subgroup of inpatients with poor vision, low-cost readers successfully corrected most participants' vision. Hospitalists and other clinicians working in the inpatient setting can play an important role in identifying opportunities to provide high-value care related to patients' vision.