Completing the Pathway: From Patient Referral to Vision Care

As the global population ages, health systems must adapt to support functional ability and well-being across the life course. Vision loss is among the most common and overlooked health issues in older age, impacting mobility, communication, mental health, and independence. Further, access to vision screening, treatment, and rehabilitation often remains fragmented or limited. To address these gaps, the International Federation on Ageing’s "Completing the Pathway: From Patient Referral to Care" project seeks to better understand how older adults navigate vision care systems across different national contexts. While much research has examined the clinical management of eye diseases, there is limited documentation of the patient journey — particularly how older people move from generalist care to specialist treatment in systems shaped by varying levels of coordination and accessibility. This project maps the patient referral pathway from general practitioners to ophthalmologists in six countries: the United Kingdom, United States, Italy, Spain, France, and Switzerland. IFA conducted a thorough evidence review alongside expert interviews with country-specific stakeholders to gather insights. The findings are presented in detailed country background notes and referral pathway infographics.

The IFA would like to thank Roche for supporting this project.

Resources: Referral Pathway Mapping and Summary Reports

The following roadmap and summary resources are available for download to support stakeholders in understanding the full pathway from patient referral to vision care. These materials provide a practical overview of the key steps involved in the patient journey from early identification and referral through diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care while highlighting opportunities to strengthen coordination across providers and systems.

Italy

Switzerland

United States