Original Research

A review of factors influencing the utilization of eye care services

M. D. Ntsoane, O. A. Oduntan
African Vision and Eye Health | South African Optometrist: Vol 69, No 4 | a143 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/aveh.v69i4.143 | © 2010 M. D. Ntsoane, O. A. Oduntan | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 12 December 2010 | Published: 12 December 2010

About the author(s)

M. D. Ntsoane, Department of Public Health, University of Limpopo, South Africa
O. A. Oduntan, Discipline of Optometry, School of Physiotherapy, Sport Science and Optometry, University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Full Text:

PDF (828KB)

Abstract

Visual impairment (low vision and blindness) is a major health concern all over the world. Three main reasons for the high prevalence of visual impairment are non-availability, non-accessibility andnon-affordability of eye care services. However, there are several factors that may act as barriers to the use of available, accessible and affordable eye care services. These include the lack of knowledge of the services, lack of knowledge of the possible impact of an eye disease and lack of knowledge of who to consult for management of eye diseases. Also, demographic, personal, social and cultural factors may influence or act as barriers to eye care utilization. These various factors are reviewed in this article. Where there is poor utilization of available services, educational campaigns would lead to better understanding and promote greater utilization of eye care services. Early detection and management of eye diseases would reduce the
burden of visual impairment and disability. Therefore, eye care providers and health care managers must have good knowledge of the various factors that would negatively influence utilization of eye care services and be responsive to them. (S Afr Optom 2010 69(4) 182-193)


Keywords

Eye care utilization; eye care services; low vision; blindness

Metrics

Total abstract views: 10171
Total article views: 14940

 

Crossref Citations

1. Barriers to Accessing Eye Health Services in Suburban Communities in Nampula, Mozambique
Dulnério B. Sengo, Neves A. Marraca, Alcino M. Muaprato, Sofía García-Sanjuan, Pablo Caballero, Inmaculada López-Izquierdo
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health  vol: 19  issue: 7  first page: 3916  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19073916

2. Causes of Moderate to Severe Visual Impairment and Blindness Among Children in Integrated Schools for the Blind and Visiting a Tertiary Eye Hospital in Nepal: The Nepal Pediatric Visual Impairment (NPVI) Study [Letter]
Mahendra Singh, Ashish Chander, Suraj Chaurasiya, - Radhika
Clinical Ophthalmology  vol: Volume 17  first page: 2761  year: 2023  
doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S439444

3. Childhood visual impairment causes and barriers to accessing eye care: A suggested approach for Africa
Saif H. Alrasheed, Zoelfigar D. Mohamed, Muhammed S. Alluwimi
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine  vol: 16  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v16i1.4556

4. Experiences and perceptions of undergraduate optometry students towards public eye care services in South Africa
Noxolo L. Zulu, Diane Van Staden
African Vision and Eye Health  vol: 82  issue: 1  year: 2023  
doi: 10.4102/aveh.v82i1.726

5. Accessibility and Barriers to Uptake of Ophthalmic Services among Rural Communities in the Upper Denkyira West District, Ghana
Nana Yaa Koomson, Hayford Adaboh, Ernest Kyei Nkansah, Joseph Kumi Amponsah, Daniel Larbi, Samuel Odoi Odotei, Min Zhao
Journal of Ophthalmic Science  vol: 2  issue: 1  first page: 24  year: 2019  
doi: 10.14302/issn.2470-0436.jos-19-2602

6. Time to diagnosis of pediatric cancer and factors that require attention
Isabella Lima Arrais Ribeiro, Ana Carolina Rodrigues de Melo, Bianca Marques Santiago, Ricardo Dias de Castro, Paulo Rogério Ferreti Bonan, Eliane Medeiros-Serpa, Ana Maria Gondim Valença
Journal of Public Health  vol: 31  issue: 3  first page: 397  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1007/s10389-021-01517-x

7. Ocular Disease Therapeutics: Design and Delivery of Drugs for Diseases of the Eye
Kuei-Ju Cheng, Chien-Ming Hsieh, Kunal Nepali, Jing-Ping Liou
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry  vol: 63  issue: 19  first page: 10533  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01033

8. Seeing the unseen: The low treatment rate of eye emergencies in Africa
Babatunde Ismail Bale, Marco Zeppieri, Obehi Suzan Idogen, Clinton Ifeanyi Okechukwu, Onakhe Emmanuel Ojo, Daniel Ayodele Femi, Abiola Afeez Lawal, Shalom Jesufunminiye Adedeji, Pirakalai Manikavasagar, Adewunmi Akingbola, Abdullahi Tunde Aborode, Mutali Musa
World Journal of Methodology  vol: 15  issue: 3  year: 2025  
doi: 10.5662/wjm.v15.i3.102477

9. Low Vision Service Provision in the Klang Valley: Optometrists’ Perspectives
Yi Hen Wong, Indira Madhavan, Azam Nur Hazman Azmi
Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness  vol: 119  issue: 3  first page: 210  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1177/0145482X251352531

10. Eye care seeking behavior among rural adults in South India: Tamil Nadu Rural Eye Examination (TREE) Study Report 1
Subhiksha Rangavittal, Anuradha Narayanan
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology  vol: 70  issue: 9  first page: 3255  year: 2022  
doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_516_22

11. Investigation of Economic Inequality in Eye Care Services Utilization and Its Determinants in Rural Regions Using the Oaxaca– Blinder Decomposition Approach
Hassan Hashemi, Reza Pakzad, Abbasali Yekta, Mohamadreza Aghamirsalim, Hadi Ostadimoghaddam, Mehdi Khabazkhoob
Seminars in Ophthalmology  vol: 36  issue: 5-6  first page: 373  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1080/08820538.2021.1890782

12. Eye care service utilization and associated factors among adults in Debre Berhan Town, North Shewa, Ethiopia, 2023
Matiyas Mamo Bekele, Abebech Fikade Shumye, Melkamu Temeselew Tegegn
Frontiers in Public Health  vol: 12  year: 2024  
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1440357

13. Utilisation pattern of ophthalmic services in Ashanti Region, Ghana
Abdul-Kabir Mohammed, Alvin J. Munsamy
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine  vol: 16  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v16i1.4326

14. Accessibility of and barriers to the use of eye health services in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana
Eunice A. Frempong, Diane W. van Staden
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine  vol: 16  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v16i1.4270

15. Parents’ reasons for nonadherence to referral to follow-up eye care for schoolchildren who failed school-based vision screening in Cross River State, Nigeria—A descriptive qualitative study
Lynne Lohfeld, Christine Graham, Anne Effiom Ebri, Nathan Congdon, Ving Fai Chan, Ahmed Awadein
PLOS ONE  vol: 16  issue: 11  first page: e0259309  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259309

16. Eye Care Utilization among Older Subjects with Visual Impairment in Northwest Ethiopia
Aragaw Kegne Assaye, Melkamu Temeselew Tegegn, Gizachew Tilahun Belete
Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research  vol: 18  issue: 3  first page: 306  year: 2023  
doi: 10.18502/jovr.v18i3.13779

17. Utilization of Secondary Eye Care Services in Western Kenya
Hillary K Rono MMed, David Macleod, Andrew Bastawrous, Emmanuel Wanjala, Michael Gichangi, Matthew J. Burton
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health  vol: 16  issue: 18  first page: 3371  year: 2019  
doi: 10.3390/ijerph16183371

18. Eye care service utilization and associated factors among older adults in Hawassa city, South Ethiopia
Efa Derecha Morka, Betelhem Temesgen Yibekal, Mebratu Mulusew Tegegne, Maria Victoria Zunzunegui
PLOS ONE  vol: 15  issue: 4  first page: e0231616  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231616

19. Global, regional, and national differences in the burden of refraction disorders among children, adolescents, and older adults: current trends and future projections
Qiheng Yuan, Longji Wang, Bianjin Sun, Siwen Chen, Yutong Kang, Yongliang Lou, Meiqin Zheng
BMC Public Health  vol: 25  issue: 1  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23887-7

20. Building consensus for the development of child eye care services in South Darfur State of Sudan using the Delphi technique
Saif H. Alrasheed, Kovin S. Naidoo, Peter C. Clarke-Farr, Kamal H. Binnawi
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine  vol: 10  issue: 1  year: 2018  
doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v10i1.1767

21. Access to eye health services among older people with disabilities in Karamoja, Uganda: a qualitative exploration of successful care seeking
Emma Jolley, Stevens Bechange, Gladys Atto, Lillian Namukasa, Beatrice Guzu, Sandra Flight, Juliet Sentongo, Hannah Kuper, Jane Wilbur
International Journal for Equity in Health  vol: 24  issue: 1  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1186/s12939-025-02650-9

22. Social, Educational and Medical Aspects after Cataract Surgery of Bilaterally Blind Children in Kinshasa—Perception of Parents and Children
Stefanie Frech, Adrian Hopkins, Astrid Moanda, Janvier Kilangalanga, Rudolf F. Guthoff
Children  vol: 9  issue: 11  first page: 1683  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3390/children9111683

23. Availability of refractive error correction services in selected Zambian hospitals: a cross-sectional quantitative study
Esnart Kapatamoyo, Cephas Sialubanje, Kangwa I M Muma, Gardner Syakantu, Deon Minnies
BMJ Open  vol: 13  issue: 2  first page: e070297  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070297