PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Health Serv.
Sec. Implementation Science
Integrating Eye Care into Community Health Centers: A Framework for Advancing Vision Equity in Underserved Communities
Provisionally accepted
- 1University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, United States
- 2New England College of Optometry, Boston, United States
- 3Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, United States
- 4Mile Square Health Center, Chicago, United States
- 5University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, United States
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Vision health is a critical yet often overlooked component of comprehensive primary care, particularly for underserved populations. Patient access to eye care services enhances workplace productivity, household income, and employment opportunities, ultimately supporting economic growth, poverty reduction, and food security. Community Health Centers (CHC) collectively serve over 32 million patients annually and are uniquely positioned to address disparities in eye care access. Yet only 26% of CHCs offer vision care services, and only 2.9% of people who access CHC services receive eye care. Addressing this gap requires a strategic, systems-level approach to implementation. This perspective proposes an integrated framework to guide the sustainable and equitable integration of eye care providers, including optometrists and ophthalmologists, into Community Health Centers (CHCs). Drawing on and uniting the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Research Framework, and the National Association of Community Health Centers' (NACHC) Value Transformation Framework (VTF), we outline a multi-level strategy that addresses implementation readiness, equity, and sustainability. This integrated framework is intended to inform implementation research and policy development aimed at making on-site eye care via an optometrist or ophthalmologist a mandated service in CHCs nationwide. In doing so, we offer an actionable game plan for CHC leaders, healthcare administrators, and public health advocates to expand access to comprehensive eye care in underserved communities.
Keywords: community health center, federally qualified health center, health equity, Implementation Framework, Access to eye care, Optometry, Ophthalmology
Received: 15 Sep 2025; Accepted: 28 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Scanzera, Russo, Primo, Fleurimont and Markowski. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Angelica C Scanzera
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.