Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41876165›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

How have outreach eye health services been delivered globally? Protocol for a scoping review.

Eric Lai, Lucy Goodman, Jyotika Lal, Iris Gordon, Jacqueline Ramke

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Eric LaiSchool of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand eric.lai@auckland.ac.nz.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-3399-8627
Lucy GoodmanSchool of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Jyotika LalSchool of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Iris GordonInternational Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Jacqueline RamkeSchool of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5764-1306

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIn all countries, some population groups experience barriers to accessing eye health services, contributing to health inequities. Outreach is a common strategy used to deliver healthcare services to populations experiencing inequities. This scoping review aims to summarise the nature and extent of the existing literature describing outreach as a service delivery model to improve access to eye health services, particularly among populations experiencing inequities. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: An information specialist will search academic databases (Medline, Embase and Global Health) without language restrictions to find peer-reviewed articles describing outreach eye health services, published in any country between 1 January 2010 and the search date. Grey literature sources will also be searched. In Covidence, two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts and subsequently relevant full texts against the inclusion criteria. Data extraction will also be performed independently by two reviewers in Covidence. This scoping review will summarise the characteristics of the included outreach eye health services, including the type of eye health service delivered, personnel involved, mode of transport, source of funding and whether the service targeted any specific PROGRESS-Plus group (Place of residence, Race/ethnicity/culture/language, Occupation, Gender/sex, Religion, Education, Socioeconomic status, Social capital, Plus). We will present our findings quantitatively using diagrams, tables and graphs. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval was not sought, as this scoping review will use only publicly available reports. The results of this review will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and will be presented at eye health conferences. It will offer valuable insights for eye health providers, health and social service providers and policymakers who are interested in improving access to eye health services for populations experiencing inequities. This scoping review will inform a project in New Zealand which aims to develop outreach eye health services to populations experiencing inequities, such as unhoused people and refugees. REGISTRATION: This protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework on 11 November 2025 (https://osf.io/vyz32).

Indexed as

Delivery of Health CareEye DiseasesHealth Services AccessibilityOphthalmologyGlobal HealthHealthcare DisparitiesHumansResearch DesignScoping Reviews as TopicHealth EquityHealth Services AccessibilityOPHTHALMOLOGY

Identifiers

PMID41876165
PMCPMC13034261

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.