Strategies to improve the reporting of legal blindness in Massachusetts.
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.
el-Hashimy
M M
MM
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Diabetes Control Program, Boston 02108-4619, USA.
Aubert
R E
RE
Alich
K
K
Warram
J H
JH
Harrigan
B A
BA
Herman
W H
WH
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