Eye Health Intervention Study in Upper Manhattan

NCT ID: NCT06112431

Last Updated: 2025-05-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 5840 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2026-04-01
• Study Completion Date: 2031-03-31

Brief Summary

Individuals living in Upper Manhattan have limited access to eye care, high vision impairment rates, and poor ocular health outcomes. To improve eye care and vision health outcomes, the Eye Health Intervention Study in Upper Manhattan (EYES-UM) will conduct eye health screenings in accessible primary care health centers and senior centers and implement a behavioral intervention to improve adherence for those referred for in-office eye care. The proposed innovative, 2:1 cluster-randomized clinical trial, will recruit adults age 40 and older in Upper Manhattan with known rates of inadequate eye care. A total of 10 settings in Upper Manhattan, comprised of primary care offices, senior centers, and organizations, confirms access to 17,000 individuals living at or below the NYC.gov poverty measure. This study will conduct ocular tests (visual acuity, intraocular pressure, fundus images) during screenings. To ensure that all participants receive the basic level of service, all participants who fail the eye health screening will be seen the same day by a study optometrist and eyeglasses will be provided at no charge. Educational workshops and an Advisory Board will support recruitment. Intervention Arm participants will receive ongoing support with scheduling eye exams and transportation by trained Study Coordinators. All participants will be followed prospectively for 2 years. The study is guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) Framework. Conducting Focus Groups with health policy stakeholders ensures iterative input during the study to bridge and translate EYES-UM findings into a Vision Health Policy Roadmap for scalable implementation of vision care delivery models, focusing on adherence.

Detailed Description

Populations in urban settings such as Upper Manhattan, have limited access to eye care, high vision impairment rates, and poor ocular health outcomes. Our team of vision researchers designed the Eye Health Intervention Study in Upper Manhattan (EYES-UM) to provide eye health screenings directly in Upper Manhattan, in familiar and accessible settings. The proposed innovative, 2:1 cluster-randomized clinical trial, will recruit adults age 40 and older in Upper Manhattan with high rates of inadequate eye care.

A total of 10 settings in Upper Manhattan, comprised of health centers and senior centers, confirms access to 17,000 individuals. This study will conduct ocular tests (visual acuity, intraocular pressure, fundus images) during screenings. To ensure that all participants receive the basic level of service, all participants who fail the eye health screening will be seen the same day by a study optometrist and eyeglasses will be provided at no charge. Educational workshops and an Advisory Board will support recruitment. Intervention Arm participants will receive ongoing support with scheduling eye exams and transportation by trained study coordinators. All participants will be followed prospectively for 2 years. The study is guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) Framework: In Aim 1, we will evaluate the effectiveness of an Eye Health Intervention to improve access to vision health services in 10 settings in Upper Manhattan. After eye health screenings and optometric exams, we will conduct a 2:1 cluster-randomized clinical trial using an Intervention to provide eye exam scheduling and transportation for those referred to ophthalmology to improve in-office eye exam adherence behavior over 2 years (primary implementation outcome) and eye disease detection (primary clinical effectiveness outcome). In Aim 2, using the RE-AIM Framework, we will evaluate the implementation of the Eye Health Intervention using mixed-methods. Aim 3 includes a proactive implementation science approach to produce a real-world Vision Health Policy Roadmap by conducting Focus Groups with health policy stakeholders to understand evidence needed to develop scalable and sustainable nationwide vision care delivery models and how to incentivize payors to ensure the success of these efforts. The Eye Health Intervention will protect and improve vision health outcomes and provide a sustainable model that can be scaled-up in many settings. By providing basic eye care services and eyeglasses to all participants, simplifying access and supporting utilization of in-office eye care, this innovative research strategy will generate important evidence and a roadmap for policy change to advance vision health. This innovative approach using Focus Groups ensures iterative input during the study to bridge and translate EYES-UM findings into a Vision Health Policy Roadmap for scalable implementation of vision care delivery models, focusing on adherence.

Conditions

Glaucoma, Suspect; Diabetic Retinopathy; Cataract; Refractive Errors; Vision Impairment and Blindness

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SCREENING
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Intervention Arm

Participants randomized to the Intervention Arm and referred to ophthalmology will receive assistance from a Study Coordinator with scheduling in-office eye exam appointment and arranging transportation to these appointments over 2 years at either Columbia Ophthalmology, Harlem Hospital, or their own eye care provider.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants randomized to the Intervention Arm and referred to ophthalmology will receive assistance from a Study Coordinator with scheduling in-office eye exam appointment and arranging transportation to these appointments over 2 years at either Columbia Ophthalmology, Harlem Hospital, or their own eye care provider.

Usual Care

Consented participants randomized to the Usual Care Arm will receive all the basic level of services including the eye health screening, optometric exam if they fail the screening, and eyeglasses at no charge. Those who require referral to ophthalmology will be scheduled for the initial in-office eye exam and their outcomes will be tracked. No additional support will be provided the Usual Care participants during the study. The Usual Care Arm represents a realistic choice currently available for participants following eye health screening.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Usual Care

Intervention Type: OTHER

Consented participants randomized to the Usual Care Arm will receive all the basic level of services including the eye health screening, optometric exam if they fail the screening, and eyeglasses at no charge. Those who require referral to ophthalmology will be scheduled for the initial in-office eye exam and their outcomes will be tracked. No additional support will be provided the Usual Care participants during the study. The Usual Care Arm represents a realistic choice currently available for participants following eye health screening.

Interventions

Intervention

Participants randomized to the Intervention Arm and referred to ophthalmology will receive assistance from a Study Coordinator with scheduling in-office eye exam appointment and arranging transportation to these appointments over 2 years at either Columbia Ophthalmology, Harlem Hospital, or their own eye care provider.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Usual Care

Consented participants randomized to the Usual Care Arm will receive all the basic level of services including the eye health screening, optometric exam if they fail the screening, and eyeglasses at no charge. Those who require referral to ophthalmology will be scheduled for the initial in-office eye exam and their outcomes will be tracked. No additional support will be provided the Usual Care participants during the study. The Usual Care Arm represents a realistic choice currently available for participants following eye health screening.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Individuals age 40 years or older.
• Living independently.

Exclusion Criteria

• Self-reported terminal illness with life expectancy of less than 1 year.
• Inability to provide informed consent due to dementia or other reason.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

National Eye Institute (NEI)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Columbia University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Lisa Hark, PhD, MBA

Professor of Ophthalmic Sciences

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Lisa A. Hark, PhD, MBA

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Columbia University Department of Ophthalmology

Locations

Cuimc/Nyph

New York, New York, United States

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Lisa A. Hark, PhD, MBA

Role: CONTACT

lah112@cumc.columbia.edu

212-342-4586

Other Identifiers

PA-25-305

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

AAAV6542

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id