Community-based vision health screening with on-site definitive exams: Design and outcomes

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Community Medicine

Background:

• Rising prevalence of blindness in the U.S. necessitates effective vision health strategies.
• Low compliance with referrals (<50%) and excessive referrals hinder current community vision screening programs.
• Many individuals with blinding eye disease are unaware of their diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of a modified community vision screening program.
• To address challenges of low referral compliance and excessive referrals in vision screening.
• To improve outcomes for participants in community-based vision health initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 4349 participant examinations from the Casey Eye Institute Outreach Program (01/04/2012 to 10/31/2016).
• Implementation of key modifications: on-site ophthalmologist presence and leveraging community partner resources.
• Review of demographics and disease findings to assess program outcomes.

Main Results:

• 97% of participants completed definitive eye examinations, significantly improving compliance.
• Clinical care was recommended for 924 participants (21.2%).
• 78.8% of participants received comprehensive care, including exams, refractions, and spectacle ordering.

Conclusions:

• Modifications to vision screening program design can substantially enhance effectiveness.
• Integrating ophthalmologists and community partners improves participant compliance and access to care.
• This approach offers a promising strategy to combat avoidable vision loss through community screening.