| Sumario: | Background: Health inequity impacts patients with visual disabilities. Patients with visual impairments may use bioptics to meet state licensing requirements; however, successful completion of licensure may be confounded by non-visual factors. Understanding non-visual barriers to bioptic licensure can help optometrists better advocate for their patients. Addressing health inequities can be aided by assessing social determinants of health (SDOH). For visually impaired individuals in the state of Tennessee, the use of bioptic lenses for driving may be affected by certain social determinants of health. This study aimed to identify the SDOH most closely aligned with the completion of bioptic licensure. Methods: A record review of patients seen at The Eye Center at Southern College of Optometry between 2019 and 2023 was completed. Age, sex, access to care (distance to clinic), race, payor status, and employment status were recorded. Results: Several factors affected the successful completion of bioptic licensure. Payor status (grant applicants) and race were factors more likely to impact one's ability to complete licensure. Conclusion: The influence of health equity on health outcomes remains a concern. Assessing how factors such as social determinants of health impact successful treatment plans--in this case, bioptic licensure--is important. Employability, access to healthy food, and education are all affected by the ability to travel. Addressing the health inequities found in this study should improve visually impaired individuals' ability to complete bioptic driving licensure, and thus improve employability, access to healthy food, and education among this population.
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