Surveillance of disparities in vision and eye health in the United States: an expert panel's opinions.

PURPOSE To define surveillance approaches and metrics to capture the burden of vision health disparities and to identify properties of a surveillance system to guide public health interventions. DESIGN Expert panel. METHODS Analysis of relevant literature and deliberations of expert panel. RESULTS The panel identified that the purpose of vision surveillance was to link data to public health interventions. Panel members noted the importance of assessing vision through self-reported and performance-based measures. Defined populations should be included in a surveillance system to assess disparities in utilization of eye care and vision loss. The panel suggested that ophthalmic/vision measures should be sustained in national surveys and suggested that a vision surveillance system should be forged among federal agencies. CONCLUSIONS Employing the 6 outlined strategies would improve vision surveillance and help reach the vision-related objectives of Healthy People 2020.