Vision Centers for Eye Care

Overseen By Kieran O'Brien, PhD, MPH

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

Disqualifiers: Urban areas, Outside 20-100 km, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if establishing vision centers in South Asia can enhance access to eye care and improve eye health. It will assess whether these centers increase eye care visits, the ownership and use of glasses, and overall vision improvement. Communities will receive a vision center either immediately or at a later time, and results will be compared. Ideal candidates for the trial live in rural areas lacking nearby primary eye care services and are located within 20-100 km of a base hospital. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to better eye care access in underserved communities.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that the establishment of a vision center is safe for improving eye care access and outcomes?

A previous study did not specifically examine safety data for setting up vision centers. However, the main service offered is basic eye care, which generally poses low risk. No specific problems were reported during the establishment of these centers. The goal is to make eye care more accessible, and similar services have shown that safety issues are rare. Trained technicians provide eye care, usually involving routine, non-invasive procedures.

Overall, setting up a vision center focuses on improving access to eye care rather than introducing a new medical treatment. Therefore, safety risks are minimal and primarily related to the general operation of a community health service. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the establishment of vision centers for eye care because these centers bring accessible, basic eye care services directly to communities, which is not always possible with traditional hospital-based care. Unlike standard options that often require traveling to specialized facilities, these centers will have trained vision technicians on-site to provide immediate care and necessary referrals. This approach aims to reduce the gap in eye care access and improve early detection and treatment of vision problems.

What evidence suggests that the establishment of a vision center is effective for improving eye care access and outcomes?

This trial will compare the immediate establishment of a vision center with a delayed establishment. Studies have shown that setting up vision centers improves access to eye care and enhances eye health. Research indicates that these centers increase visits to eye care facilities, ensuring people receive necessary eye exams. This often results in more individuals obtaining and wearing glasses, which can enhance their vision. Evidence also suggests that when communities have easy access to these services, their visual acuity improves. Overall, vision centers play a crucial role in promoting better eye health and making eye care more accessible. ^{1 3 4 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Kieran O'Brien, PhD, MPH

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for communities in South Asia to assess if establishing vision centers affects eye care access and eye health. It's not specific to individuals but rather involves entire communities that are chosen randomly.

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

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

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Population-based surveys conducted to assess baseline eye health and access to eye care

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Establishment of vision centers in intervention communities to provide basic eye care services

2 years

Ongoing visits as needed

Follow-up

Population-based surveys and hospital record reviews to assess outcomes after intervention

2 years

1 visit (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Establishment of a vision center

Trial Overview The study tests whether setting up vision centers increases eyecare visits, spectacle ownership, and improves visual acuity. Communities will be compared based on these outcomes using surveys and hospital records over two years.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Immediate establishment of a vision center Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The intervention arm will include the establishment of a fixed vision center equipped with trained vision technicians to provide basic eye care services and referrals to higher care.

Group II: Delayed establishment of a vision center Active Control 1 Intervention

The control arm will receive no intervention during the study period. The establishment of a vision center will occur after endline data collection, if hospital interest and resources remain adequate.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Francisco

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,636

Recruited

19,080,000+

Seva Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

9

Recruited

302,000+

Proctor Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

98,200+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07227714

Effect of Vision Centers on Access to Eye Care and ... 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.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12515283/

Framework to Launching a Community Eye Clinic - PMC A comprehensive review of existing eye care delivery models was conducted. Documents from established free or low-cost clinics were analyzed to ...

3. nachc.org nachc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/NACHC-Vision-Services-Expansion-Fact-Sheet_V4.pdf

2025 VISION SERVICES Vision is an integral part of overall health, and vision services are a key component to primary care. A comprehensive eye exam can reveal early.

4. clinicians.org clinicians.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Centers-of-Excellence-Vision-Services.pdf

Eye Health and Vision Care Services The following brief provides an introduction to the importance of eye health and vision care, the role that health centers can play in offering it, key steps ...

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039625724000225

Clinical outcome measures in vision and eye care In particular, vision and eye care significantly contributed to the large volume of healthcare spending. A recent study focusing on the national expenditures ...

6. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38697267/

Eye Care in Federally Qualified Health Centers - PubMed - NIH Only 2.6% of people who accessed FQHC services received eye care in 2021. Among the 435 FQHCs that provided vision care in 2021, 27.1% (n = 118) ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12089528/

Patient safety in eye care: a multi-method analysis of reported ... We aimed to characterise patient safety incidents involving eye care by: identifying the most frequently reported incidents involving clinical care;