Do Socioeconomic Inequalities Exist Within Ophthalmology and Orthoptics in the UK?: A Scoping Review

Introduction: It is well documented that socioeconomic disadvantage adversely affects general health and ocular health worldwide. Within orthoptics, while clinicians recognise a relationship between socioeconomic situation and treatment outcome, no previous literature review was found to address this issue. Neither was a UK-specific literature review found to address the same issue for ophthalmology as a whole.

Aim: This literature review evaluates evidence for an association between socioeconomic situation and ophthalmic/orthoptic conditions and their treatment outcomes, specifically within the UK.

Methods: Keyword searches were conducted on Google Scholar and the University of Liverpool library catalogue. Results for the main analyses were limited to full papers, specific to the UK, written in English. Literature was only included from pre-2000 if more recent evidence was insufficient.

Results: There is evidence of socioeconomic disadvantage being associated with the following: reduced visual acuity; reduced attendance at diabetic retinopathy screening appointments; and delayed presentation of glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. However, evidence linking socioeconomic disadvantage to AMD is mixed. There is limited evidence of the increased prevalence of amblyopia and subsequent barriers to its treatment for socioeconomically underserved children. There is also evidence of a reduction in quality of life for socioeconomically underserved adults with strabismus.

Conclusions: Health inequalities within ophthalmology and orthoptics are reported, but with confounding results for some conditions. Further research should explore the reasons behind the inequalities that are found and identify methods of reducing them.