Rural America Faces Growing Shortage of Eye Surgeons

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 22, 2025.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2025 -- Rural areas are facing an increasing shortage of eye surgeons who can treat conditions like cataracts, glaucoma and detached retinas, a new study says.

More than 17% of patients who need an ophthalmic surgeon live in rural America, but fewer than 6% of eye surgeons now work in a rural area, researchers recently reported in JAMA Ophthalmology.

“Rural patients still disproportionately outnumber rural surgeons,” even though the U.S. rural population is slowly declining, the research team led by Dr. Fasika Woreta, director of the Johns Hopkins Eye Trauma Center in Baltimore, concluded.

This means rural residents with eye problems often face a long drive to get the care they need.

For example, “our results suggest that 18.2% of patients undergoing cornea transplants are rurally located,” researchers wrote. “Previous research indicated that only 3.5% of transplants occur in a rural area, suggesting that many rural patients do not receive care locally.”

For the study, researchers analyzed claims data for Medicare to track people needing eye surgery and where they wound up receiving care.

The U.S. rural population declined by about 2% between 2012 and 2022, researchers said.

But the number of eye surgeons practicing in a rural area also declined during that period:

  • Cornea surgeons, by 1.3%.

  • Glaucoma specialists, by 3.3%.

  • Oculoplastic surgeons, by 2.1%.

    • “This may be concerning for older rural patients, who may face impairments hindering their ability to drive to a subspecialist surgeon,” researchers said. “Alternative transportation modes, such as buses or shuttles, also may not be readily available in rural settings.”

    Overall, the Northeast and West have the most eye surgeons, while the Midwest and South have fewer on hand.

    “Rural residents within these regions may face less access,” researchers added.

    Results also showed that eye surgeons who recently graduated from medical school are 43% to 82% less likely to practice in a rural area compared to those who came before them.

    “This aligns with the decreasing percentage of medical students who are interested in rural practice but may be troubling for the ophthalmic subspecialist workforce considering the projected increase in demand for rural physicians,” researchers concluded.

    Sources

  • JAMA Ophthalmology, Jan. 2, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-01-23 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords