The Low Vision Education Program (LVEP) provides information to 14 million Americans living with low vision, their families and friends. The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the Federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), sponsors the LVEP program. One facet of this program is the provision of materials for eye health care professionals. To ensure that appropriate materials were developed for ophthalmologists, optometrists and their office staff, the NEI conducted a series of both standard and online focus groups. They were interested in receiving feedback from ophthalmologists, optometrists and office staff on what they know about vision health and more specifically, low vision. In doing so, the NEI asked them, during these focus groups, if they knew what low vision was, how they defined it, access issues related to it and how they go about educating themselves, their peers and patients about low vision and vision health. The NEI identified locations around the country that would enable them to gather feedback from different regions of the country. To supplement the standard focus groups, online focus groups were conducted to assist in gathering information from the targeted groups in geographically dispersed areas across the country. This technology allows the NEI to gather data from individuals who live in multiple time zones and various geographic locations simultaneously and cost effectively.
Learning Objectives: Understand what ophthalmologists, optometrists and their respective office staff know about vision health, and more specifically low vision; Describe a process used to conduct online focus groups; and Recognize the benefits and drawbacks of standard vs. online focus groups.
Keywords: Vision Care, Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.