OBJECTIVES: Eyewear, including eyeglasses and contact lenses, plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal vision, which is essential for various aspects of human life, perception, and performance. Understanding factors associated with vision care financial burden is essential to improve quality of life. This study examined the annual total eyewear expenditures (EE), and the proportion of the US population incurring these expenses, and identified patient factors influencing EE.

METHODS: This retrospective study used 2017-2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data to examine EE. Characteristics evaluated include age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, poverty, and insurance coverage. Descriptive weighted analyses were employed to compare patient characteristics of individuals with and without EE. The logistic regression model was applied to investigate predictors of EE.

RESULTS: Analyses indicated, 59.60 million individuals (95% Confidence Interval [CI]=57.30-61.90) incurred EE annually. The total annual EE in the United States amounted to 21.56 billion dollars (95% CI = 20.80-22.19), with an average cost per person of $66.61 (95% CI = $64.26-$68.95). Among individuals who incurred EE, the majority of them were older adults (65 years and above, 45.77%), females (58.21%), non-Hispanic Whites (66.46%), educated beyond high school (46.04%), in poor or near poor status (30.06%) and enrolled with private insurance (74.84%). The logistic regression model indicates that individuals who were non-Hispanic White (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]= 1.16, 95% CI=1.09-1.23), female (aOR=1.40, 95% CI=1.35-1.45), older aged (aOR=1.47, 95% CI=1.34-1.60), with higher education (aOR=1.99, 95% CI=1.80-2.19), lower poverty (aOR=1.25, 95% CI=1.17-1.33), and private insurance (aOR=2.06, 95% CI=1.84-2.29) was associated with an increased risk of incurring EE.

CONCLUSIONS: The US population experienced a substantial financial burden associated with EE. Predictors of incurring the EE expenditure include being elderly, non-Hispanic White, female, having higher education, lower poverty, and having private insurance coverage.