Design and pilot implementation of an Eye Health House in remote and underdeveloped areas of Iran
This research aims to address the lack of access to eye care in remote and underdeveloped areas of Iran by designing and piloting an Eye Health House model. Due to high rates of visual impairments and a shortage of specialized ophthalmic professionals, the study proposes a sustainable solution: training local healthcare workers (such as Behvarz and health monitoring experts) to serve as assistant ophthalmic care providers. These trained personnel will deliver essential eye care services through telemedicine, reducing reliance on temporary mobile medical teams and ensuring long-term access to specialized ophthalmic care, especially for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.
The prevalence of visual impairments and eye diseases is higher in rural, remote, and underdeveloped regions due to limited access to eye care services. Given this urgent need, efforts should focus on ensuring the availability of essential ophthalmic services. Studies have highlighted that a major barrier to effective eye health services is the shortage of trained human resources.
One of the key solutions to addressing the lack of ophthalmic care in underserved areas is enhancing specialized training programs to meet the growing demand—driven by factors such as population aging—rather than relying solely on temporary medical teams providing mobile services. To achieve this goal, medical universities and the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education must take strategic measures to bridge the gap in healthcare access and ensure the equitable distribution of services, particularly for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.
In this regard, the present research aims to address this challenge by designing and piloting a model Eye Health House in underprivileged and remote areas of the country. The proposed intervention involves piloting an Eye Health House in a selected underserved region. This will be accomplished by training frontline healthcare workers, including Behvarz (community health workers) and health monitoring experts, to serve as assistant ophthalmic care providers. These trained personnel will deliver specialized services through telemedicine, ensuring that essential ophthalmic care reaches those in need.
Leave a comment