Community-based vision screening highlights unmet glaucoma care needs among seniors

A community-based eye screening program that integrated ophthalmic assessments into routine annual health examinations for older adults was feasible to implement and identified substantial unmet vision care needs, according to a study.

The prospective investigation of 3,459 participants aged 60 years and older undergoing annual health check-ups incorporated screenings for distance visual acuity, autorefraction, intraocular pressure measurement, and non-mydriatic fundus photography. The initiative also combined artificial intelligence analysis with expert review to identify high-risk cases.

The average exam took 4 to 8 minutes. Expert validation determined that 1,679 participants (48.5%) required further evaluation.

The program detected high rates of age-related eye conditions, including cataract (43.5%), age-related macular degeneration (37.5%), uncorrected refractive errors (14.6%), suspected glaucoma (12.4%), and diabetic retinopathy (4.8%).

A two-year follow-up analysis found improvements in vision outcomes, particularly among participants aged 60 to 69 years. In contrast, those aged 70 to 74 years experienced progressive visual decline over the follow-up period.

Reference
Zheng G, Hu S, Zhao Y, et al. Community-Based Ocular Screening Integrated into Primary Healthcare for Older Adults: Design and 2-Year Follow-Up Results. Aging Dis. 2026 Jun 10. doi: 10.14336/AD.2026.10331. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42295093.