Extramural Research — Cooperative Agreement

In 2008, CDC established a 3-year cooperative agreement (CA) with the Prevent Blindness America (PBA), a leading voluntary health organization dedicated solely to the prevention of vision loss and the preservation of sight. This CA will involve multiple parties across four separate, yet integrated components. The program and research teams include Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHBSPH), New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Prevent Blindness North Carolina (PBNC), Prevent Blindness Ohio (PBO), and Prevent Blindness Tri-State (PBTS).

1. Examine intervention models to identify and reach high risk individuals for vision disorders
   1. Adults screening:
      1. To determine if a two part screening evaluation for ocular diseases among primary care patients of Federally Qualified Heath Centers (FQHC) and Free Clinics in Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio can effectively identify persons who need eye care services.
      2. To assess the cost of identifying persons with vision problems in these heath care settings.
   2. Pediatric screening:
      1. To evaluate strategies for the detection of amblyopia in the primary care settings.
      2. To quantify the benefit of school-based vision screening.
2. Develop methods to integrate and link vision public health initiatives to state, local, and community health programs
   1. To integrate appropriate and effective vision health strategies into existing public health programs within state health departments.
3. Evaluate and expand vision health data systems