The Street Medicine Autorefraction Technology Study: A Model for Screening and Treating Refractive Error in Persons Experiencing Homelessness
Samanta, Anindya; Miller, James; Jacobs, Max; Bhatia, Shikha; Nelson, Patricia
Why this matters
Street medicine teams without an eye clinic behind them can still correct vision on the spot. Among 117 people experiencing homelessness, portable autorefraction succeeded for 91.8 percent, 90.1 percent received glasses, and visual acuity improved by an average of five lines.
Abstract
The Street Medicine Auto-Refraction Technology study is an efficient and cost-effective treatment of refractive error (RE) and identification of potential non-RE pathology in people experiencing homelessness (PEHs). The study involved 117 patients (226 eyes) who received vision screening and glasses through a portable autorefraction protocol. Results showed an average 5-line visual acuity improvement, with 91.8% successfully undergoing autorefraction and 90.1% receiving glasses. High patient satisfaction was reported (4.7-4.8 on Likert scale), and 19.7% were referred for further ophthalmology evaluation.