Detection of age-related vision reduction in general practice in Denmark (DETECT): a study protocol for a feasibility...

Vision reduction is linked to reduced quality of life, self-care capacity, increased fall risk, cognitive decline and depression. Prevalence increases with age. In response, WHO recommends regular vision assessment at primary care level, such as general practice (GP), for adults +50 years. However, research on detection of age-related vision reduction in GP is limited. The objective is to assess the feasibility and clinical utility of implementing vision screening in Danish general practice following an annual control consultation for patients aged ≥70 years with minimum one chronic condition.

Complex health intervention in a Danish general practice setting. Testing a patient baseline questionnaire with 18 items on self-reported vision and quality of life in combination with three vision tests: Colenbrander Mixed Contrast Card Test for near vision, Amsler Grid test and Confrontational Visual Field Test. 18-20 GP clinics and 450 patients are planned to be included. After GP consultation, all patients visit a collaborating optometrist for a comprehensive vision assessment including refraction, intraocular pressure measurement, fundus photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Data and pictures from the optometrist are evaluated by an ophthalmologist, who refers to further follow-up and/or treatment if deemed necessary.Feasibility outcomes: patient recruitment rate, patient adherence, as well as patients' and health providers' experiences with the intervention.

GP staff assessment of patient vision and patient-reported assessment compared with ophthalmologic assessment. This includes identifying the need for new glasses and detecting eye diseases that require further evaluation, monitoring or treatment. This study will provide evidence on the feasibility of integrating vision screening into routine general practice, potentially helping expedient referrals and improving detection and access to primary eye-health care for older adults.

The study is registered and approved by Danish Research Ethics and Data Protection, VEK F-23070033 and in ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07015034. Findings will be disseminated in peer-review journals, academic conferences and with the public through patient organisations and public health events.

ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier: NCT07015034.