A Cluster-Randomized Trial Evaluating the Effect of Vision Centers on Access to Eye Care and Eye Health Outcomes in South Asia
University of California, San Francisco
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effect of vision centers on access to eye care and eye health outcomes in South Asia. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Do vision centers increase visits to eyecare centers? 2. Do vision centers increase spectacle ownership and wearing? 3. Do vision centers improve visual acuity of the population? Researchers will compare outcomes in communities randomized to have a vision center is established with communities randomized to delay establishment of a vision center. Outcomes will be assessed through population-based surveys at baseline and after two years as well as through hospital records collected throughout the study period.
Description
The vast majority of visual impairment and blindness is preventable or treatable with existing interventions. Nearly all of this burden is faced by those living in low- and middle-income countries. Access to eye care is a key challenge in these settings, particularly in rural and remote areas. Vision centers (VCs) have been developed to increase access to primary eye care in such underserved settings. VCs typically involve establishment of a fixed center staffed by a mid-level ophthalmic technician who offers refraction, spectacles, diagnosis and treatment of basic eye conditions, and referra…
Eligibility
- Age range
- Not specified
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * The catchment area of the proposed VC site is predominantly rural. * The proposed VC site is located within 20-100 km of the base hospital. * There are no major primary eye care services within 10 km of the proposed site. * Care at sites randomized to establish VCs immediately is accessible to anyone. Exclusion Criteria: * Sites located in non-rural or urban catchment areas. * Sites outside the 20-100 km distance range from the base hospital. * Sites with existing major primary eye care services within a 10 km radius.
Interventions
- OtherEstablishment of a vision center
The establishment of a vision center includes building a fixed center, and equipping it with a trained vision technician to provide basic eye care services such as refractive error correction, spectacle dispensing, basic diagnosis for common conditions, as well as referrals for advanced care at base hospitals. The establishment of VCs will be actively publicized in the neighboring communities through promotion by local stakeholders, teachers, community workers, village leaders, health workers, and radio announcements prior to establishment. Additional outreach activities include posters and loudspeaker announcements in the communities the day before operations begin.
Location
- University of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco, California