iSCREEN-study: Online Nurse-assisted Eye-screening in Home Healthcare
NCT ID: NCT06058637
Last Updated: 2025-12-23
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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COMPLETED
NA
234 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2023-03-23
2025-11-03
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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In the Netherlands, the prevalence of blindness and low vision is highest among the elderly in care institutions and in home healthcare (20-25%). A recent cross-sectional pilot study with one of the largest home healthcare organizations in the Netherlands (i.e. 'Buurtzorg Nederland') showed that simple eye-screening by community nurses helps to detect eye complaints among elderly people living independently. Of all patients who were referred to a general practitioner (GP), optician, optometrist or ophthalmologist based on this screening (20% of the total group), it was found that almost half had severe visual impairment, whereas others had eye complaints that had affected acuity to a smaller extent. In most cases, eye complaints could be treated with spectacles or cataract surgery, but also untreatable eye diseases were found. These complaints may not have been detected without eye-screening and treatment would not have been offered. Often, the elderly themselves or family/friends or care providers, do not recognize that their eyesight has decreased. However, this can negatively affect their quality of life and health status. To increase access to eye care the investigators will perform a study using an online eye screening, which can be performed by the community nurses or possibly the participants themselves in their home environment.
Purpose:
The aim of this study is to investigate the cost-effectiveness of a nurse-assisted online eye-screening in home healthcare in reducing eye complaints.
Method:
The investigators will perform a cluster-RCT to compare online eye-screening guided by community nurses in addition to care as usual to a control condition, receiving only care as usual. It will be performed in collaboration with several home healthcare organizations. Measurements in both groups will take place at baseline, after 6 months and 12 months. This will include visual acuity measurements, questionnaires and an optometric examination.
This study will be conducted among 220 participants. Elderly clients, 65+, who receive home healthcare will be invited to participate. Clients who have a serious health condition, clients who are cognitively unable to participate, or clients who had received an optometric consultation within the last 6 months, will be excluded.
The eye-screening is developed by Easee and is CE marked. During the test, the visual acuity will be measured both near and at distance, and the Amsler grid test will be performed. The results of the eye-screening will be checked by an optometrist, and will be made available to the participant. This will be done by letter including a recommendation for a referral, if necessary.
Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
SCREENING
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Care as usual
No interventions assigned to this group
Eye screening on top of care
Eye screening
Nurse-assisted eye-screening will take place with the Easee app, which is implemented on the tablet or laptop of the community nurse. The nurse's smartphone will function as a remote control by which he/she submits input to a computer screen that displays the test. If the participant can do the test by him or herself, the nurse will merely supervise to ensure correct application. Standard audio instructions guide the nurse and participant through the test. The test will start with triage questions, which are used to set up a correct referral. During the test, both eyes are tested consecutively, covering one eye at a time. The participant will wear his/her spectacles, if present. The participant is presented a sequence of optotypes (i.e. tumbling-E and triangle-circle optotypes) that the participant must correctly identify, in addition to various grate sizes, both near and at a distance. The Amsler grid test is performed to detect any macular problems.
Interventions
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Eye screening
Nurse-assisted eye-screening will take place with the Easee app, which is implemented on the tablet or laptop of the community nurse. The nurse's smartphone will function as a remote control by which he/she submits input to a computer screen that displays the test. If the participant can do the test by him or herself, the nurse will merely supervise to ensure correct application. Standard audio instructions guide the nurse and participant through the test. The test will start with triage questions, which are used to set up a correct referral. During the test, both eyes are tested consecutively, covering one eye at a time. The participant will wear his/her spectacles, if present. The participant is presented a sequence of optotypes (i.e. tumbling-E and triangle-circle optotypes) that the participant must correctly identify, in addition to various grate sizes, both near and at a distance. The Amsler grid test is performed to detect any macular problems.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* 65 years or older
* Understanding of the Dutch language
* Cognitive ability to participate in research (six-item Mini Mental State Examination: score \>3)
Exclusion Criteria
* Cognitively unable to participate in research (e.g. late stage Alzheimer's/Dementia, Parkinson's) (six-item Mini Mental State Examination: score ≤3)
* Having received an optometric or ophthalmic consultation within the last 6 months
65 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
OTHER
Easee B.V.
UNKNOWN
Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc
OTHER
Responsible Party
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R.M.A. (Ruth) van Nispen
Prof.dr.
Principal Investigators
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Ruth van Nispen
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Amsterdam UMC - VUmc
Locations
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Amsterdam UMC
Amsterdam, , Netherlands
Countries
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References
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Rooth V, van der Aa H, Wisse RPL, Maarsingh OR, Koopmanschap M, Keunen JEE, Vermeulen H, Klaver CCW, Janssen G, van Rens GHMB, van Nispen RMA. Health economic evaluation of a nurse-assisted online eye screening in home healthcare to reduce avoidable vision impairment (iScreen): study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2024 Feb 2;25(1):102. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07882-0.
Other Identifiers
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NL78386.029.21
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id