WASHINGTON, D.C.—A report issued last week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) indicates that vision screenings alone are not sufficient in detecting eye problems among older adults.

Said the AHRQ report, “There is limited direct evidence on the effectiveness of screening for vision impairment in the primary care setting…compared with a visual acuity test or ophthalmologic examination, [screenings] are not accurate for identifying persons with visual impairment.”

Commented Randolph Brooks, OD, newly elected president of the American Optometric Association, “With the prevalence of adult vision impairment and age-related eye disease in America expected to double by 2030, the AHRQ findings offer a clear and distinct reason for all older adults to have a comprehensive eye examination on a regular basis.”