Geographic distribution of ophthalmologists in Ontario: a 10-year review

Objective: Previous studies have shown that access to appropriate care is lacking in low-income and rural areas. The goal of this study was to assess the geographic variation in the number of ophthalmologists in Ontario from the 2000 to 2010 fiscal years.

Design: Population-based analysis of the geographic distribution of Ontario ophthalmologists.

Participants: All ophthalmologists who held an Ontario license and received payment through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

Methods: Demographic information was obtained through Intellihealth Ontario's Medical Service Provider data source. Ontario counties were stratified into low-population (<100000), medium-population (100000-400000), and large-population (>400000) groups.

Results: The ratio of ophthalmologists to population was greatest in low-population counties in 2000 (1:65601) and increased further in 2010 (1:75434). Only medium-sized counties saw an improvement in the ophthalmologist-to-population ratio over the study period. There was no statistical difference in the number of ophthalmologists per 100000 population between small, medium, and large counties. Counties with an ophthalmology residency program had a significantly higher number of ophthalmologists per population compared with those without one (1:18162 vs 1:44245).

Conclusions: Geographic disparities exist in the distribution of ophthalmologists in Ontario. The highest ratios of ophthalmologists to population are found in areas with an ophthalmology residency program. New strategies are needed to improve the overall numbers and distribution of ophthalmologists to meet the demands of the aging population and reduce the burden of vision loss in Canada.