title: Strategies to improve the reporting of legal blindness in Massachusetts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Registration practices were evaluated as the initial phase of a validation study of the Register of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.
  
  
  METHODS
  Massachusetts eye care providers were surveyed to determine factors associated with nonreporting of legal blindness to the commission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among ophthalmologists, factors associated with nonreporting were small practice size and practicing for 5 years or less in Massachusetts. Among optometrists, factors included small practice size and unawareness of the Massachusetts reporting law.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Information should be disseminated to eye care providers, legally blind patients, and the public to ensure registration and sustain it.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Diabetes Control Program, Boston 02108-4619, USA.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: el-Hashimy
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Aubert
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alich
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Warram
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Harrigan
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Herman
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001766:Blindness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D009885:Ophthalmology; D009907:Optometry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012042:Registries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires