Eye care quality and accessibility improvement in the community (EQUALITY)

This demonstration program focuses on the development and implementation of a community-based cost-efficient glaucoma detection and longitudinal care delivery model for glaucoma, particularly targeting the at-risk African American population ≥ 40 years old. This will be achieved by utilizing an intervention to both improve the quality of and access to eye care. The intervention involves comprehensive automated optic nerve assessment using newly developed, highly efficient automated algorithms to remotely assist in the detection and management of glaucoma in two predominantly African American communities in Alabama (one urban/suburban and one rural) served by Walmart Vision Centers. Furthermore, we will employ an evidenced-based eye health educational program tailored for those at-risk for glaucoma, particularly African Americans, to achieve improved disease management, compliance and follow-up for care at these clinic locations. The considerable advantages of this approach are three-fold. First, it allows for the remote application of high-level clinical evaluation to primary eye care clinics providing care to socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals who have significant barriers to receiving higher-level evaluations. Second, it provides eye health education specifically targeted for this population. Further, if successfully implemented, this project is readily scalable and replicable to a national level given the ubiquity nationwide of Walmart stores that have Vision Centers and other large retailers with vision centers.