Paula Anne Newman-Casey, M.D., M.S., the Jerome Jacobson Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences; Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences; and Associate Chair for Clinical Research, has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant for her work to improve screening for glaucoma and other eye diseases in medically underserved communities, particularly at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). “We want to know if using high-tech screening tools works better and costs less than traditional eye exams, when both are administered by an optometrist at the FQHC,” says Dr. Newman-Casey. “In our study, each person will receive both a technology-based screening (called the MI-SIGHT program) and a standard eye exam, but in a random order. Glaucoma specialists will review the results to see how often mistakes occur in both exam types and how to prevent them.” The main goal is to see if the MI-SIGHT program catches more cases of glaucoma and other eye diseases than regular exams do. “We also want to find out if it improves people’s quality of life by helping them see better and by helping them access low-cost glasses online,” she says. The formal title of the project is "Leveraging Technology to Enhance Eye Disease Detection: A Pragmatic Randomized Trial.” This research was initially funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and later expanded with support from the National Eye Institute. The long-term aim is to determine which screening methods are most effective and affordable. The results could help eye care become a regular part of checkups at over 1,400 FQHCs across the country. Currently, advanced eye tools like OCT, fundus photography, and pachymetry are commonly used at places like the University of Michigan, but FQHCs use them less often due to cost. FQHCs care for individuals with low incomes and limited access to specialists, so cost and practicality are big concerns. “We are tracking the extra costs of the technology-based screening, so that a health economist can evaluate if the benefits outweigh the costs,” says Dr. Newman-Casey. “We hope our research will provide solid information to guide future health policies.”