Village Integrated Eye Workers Trial (VIEW)
Village Integrated Eye Workers Trial (VIEW) – This research project started in 2014 in collaboration with University of California San Francisco, F.I. Proctor Foundation, SEVA Foundation and Bharatpur Eye Hospital. Starting from the year 2014, VIEW has implemented different phase of its study activities (VIEW-I, VIEW-II Pilot, VIEW-II Screening, VIEW-II Final Exam- ongoing and SightLife blindness prevention program- ongoing). VIEW-I and VIEW-II Pilot is already completed and some of the papers have been published.
VIEW-II Screening:
This phase is the initial screening phase for VIEW-II from 2019-2023. This is cluster randomized trial to identify if an intensive screening with OCT and linkage to care can reduce the number of blindness due to Glaucoma, DR and ARMD compared to no intervention area in individuals 60 years and above. The final census will be done to find the cause of blindness in the community. Study area includes Bharatpur Metropolitan, Kalika Municipality, Ratnanagar Municipality, Khairahani Municipality in Chitwan district and Gaidakot Municipality, Devchuli Municipality, Kawasoti Municipality, Madhyabindu Municipality and Binay Triveni Rural Municipality-1 & 2 in Nawalpur District.
Statistics: June, 2019 – May, 2023
VIEW-II Final Exam: VIEW-II Final Exam is the wrap up exam of VIEW-II screening started from June 2023. A repeat census is conducted in all clusters 4 years after implementation of the screening intervention. Census workers update vital status and demographic data collected at baseline and add all new community members. Visual acuity is assessed for all participants ≥50 years old following the same procedures employed at baseline. Participants who have pinhole visual acuity worse than logMAR 0.48 (Snellen equivalent 20/60) in either eye at the time of the final census are offered an eye examination consisting of VA/refraction, IOP assessment, visual field assessment and anterior and posterior segment visualization at the community, performed by a trained team of optometrist and ophthalmic assistant masked to treatment assignment.
Statistics: June 2023- July 2023
Sightlife Blindness Prevention Program:
This aim to find the effectiveness of Female Community Volunteers (FCHVs) in preventing corneal blindness due to trauma. This was a three years study which ended in 2017 with the result that FCHVs intervention was effective in reducing corneal opacities due to ocular trauma in the rural communities than peri-urban or urban communities. Latter since September 2017 SightLife took this research as a corneal prevention program, where trained 117 FCHVs from 12 VDCs (Kathar, Kumroj, Birendranagar, Amarapuri, Pragatinagar, Devchuli, Agyauli, Deurali, Dhaubadi, Narayani, Nayabelhani and Kolhuwa)are involved in detecting and treating corneal abrasion due to trauma with prophylactic antibiotic oientment in their communities and appropriate referrals to eye care centers or eye hospitals. 4 field supervisors involved in monitoring those FCHVs.
Statistics: July, 2022 – June, 2023
