With tens of millions of Americans struggling with vision problems each year, the need for reliable and affordable vision care is substantial. And based on the aging trends of the country’s population, the problem is expected to get worse.
Unfortunately, prescription eye care services have long operated under outdated and protectionist rules that limit access to vision care and increase costs for consumers. Currently, numerous restrictions prevent the growth of innovative new telehealth services like online eye exams and prescription renewals for contact lenses and eyeglasses, and these insulate incumbent vision care providers from marketplace competition.
However, telehealth generally—including ocular care— offers tremendous benefits for consumers and taxpayers. By providing a convenient and accessible way to obtain products like contact lenses and prescription renewals, telehealth technology allows patients to receive care without wasting time on office visits.
Telehealth can be especially important in rural regions or among other cut-off populations, as it increases access to care. For instance, many rural communities might lack a doctor’s office or vision center, but that gap can be filled by telehealth.
Given its lower overhead, telehealth also reduces the price of healthcare for consumers. Additionally, to the extent telehealth technology is adopted by government agencies or covered by government-administered health programs, it can reduce public expenditures and decrease burdens on taxpayers.
Finally, despite some misguided claims to the contrary, research has consistently demonstrated that telehealth is as safe as any other form of healthcare.
