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Medicina
Special Issues
Underserved Ophthalmology Healthcare
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Underserved Ophthalmology Healthcare

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Ophthalmology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 1117

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jay Chhablani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Interests: medcial and surgical retina; OCT; OCTA; imaging; choroidal disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anindya Samanta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
Interests: dry macular degeneration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Underserved healthcare in the United States encompasses a wide variety of issues affecting many different populations. The multifaceted problems in ophthalmology care access are due to various barriers such as cultural/social obstacles, limited provider resources, and patient financial limitations. The purpose of this Special Issue is to highlight a range of effective approaches to addressing unique needs, including those of persons experiencing homelessness, patients without insurance, and patients with limited access to transportation. Current approaches to addressing these problems include the incorporation of telemedicine, mobile clinics, and various healthcare models, and increasing screening and referral to appropriate services. As no one model is applicable to all situations that patients face, this Special Issue will highlight underserved ophthalmology in various healthcare systems across the United States.

Dr. Jay Chhablani
Guest Editor

Dr. Anindya Samanta
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Medicina is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • underserved ophthalmology
  • unsheltered ophthalmology
  • homeless ophthalmology
  • telemedicine
  • mobile ophthalmology clinic
  • free ophthalmology clinic

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 446 KB  
Article
Visual Health in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Screening Outcomes, Clinical Associations, and Service Gaps
by Emine Tınkır Kayıtmazbatır, Hasan Ali Güler, Şule Acar Duyan, Ayşe Bozkurt Oflaz and Banu Bozkurt
Medicina 2025, 61(10), 1779; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61101779 - 1 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience visual problems, yet their ophthalmic health remains underexplored due to testability challenges and limited-service access. This study evaluated ophthalmic screening outcomes in children with ASD and examined whether autism severity influenced [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience visual problems, yet their ophthalmic health remains underexplored due to testability challenges and limited-service access. This study evaluated ophthalmic screening outcomes in children with ASD and examined whether autism severity influenced ocular findings or cooperation during examinations. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 210 children with ASD (mean age 8.18 ± 4.99 years; 83.3% male). Examinations were conducted in an autism education center using non-contact methods: stereopsis (LANG I stereotest; LANG-STEREOTEST AG, Küsnacht, Switzerland), cover–uncover, and Hirschberg tests for strabismus, Spot Vision Screener (Welch Allyn Inc., Skaneateles Falls, NY, USA) for refractive errors, and Brückner test for red reflex. Autism severity was assessed with the Turkish version of the Adapted Autism Behavior Checklist (AABC). Results: Refractive errors were identified in 22.3% of participants: astigmatism in 15.2%, myopia in 5.2% (including 3 high myopia), and hyperopia in 1.9%. Strabismus was present in 11.9%, most commonly intermittent exotropia. Nearly half (49.5%) could not complete stereopsis testing, and a weak positive correlation was observed between AABC scores and the higher absolute spherical equivalent (SE) value between the two eyes (r = 0.173, p = 0.044). Children unable to complete stereopsis testing had significantly higher AABC scores (22.66 ± 9.69 vs. 13.39 ± 9.41, p < 0.001). Notably, 50 children (23.8%) had never undergone an eye examination prior to this study. Conclusions: Ophthalmic findings, particularly astigmatism and strabismus, are common in children with ASD. Greater autism severity was associated with reduced testability and modestly worse refractive error status. These findings suggest that tailored, accessible eye-care approaches and systematic vision screening may help to reduce overlooked visual problems and support more equitable care for children with ASD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Underserved Ophthalmology Healthcare)
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9 pages, 259 KB  
Article
Clinical Characteristics, Outcomes, and Cost Associated with Inpatient Intensive Care for Infectious Keratitis
by Anne Strong Caldwell, Ari M. Stoner, Ellen Rhodes, Nihaal Mehta and Michael C. Chen
Medicina 2025, 61(9), 1680; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61091680 - 16 Sep 2025
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: Infectious keratitis (IK) is typically managed in an outpatient setting, but patients with severe infections or significant social barriers may require hospital admission. In safety-net hospital systems, these admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) occur due to hospital [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Infectious keratitis (IK) is typically managed in an outpatient setting, but patients with severe infections or significant social barriers may require hospital admission. In safety-net hospital systems, these admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) occur due to hospital protocols for frequent topical antibiotic administration. This study aims to characterize the ocular and social risk factors, visual outcomes, and financial costs associated with ICU admission for IK in an underserved population. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective case series of all patients admitted to the ICU for primary treatment of IK at the Denver Health Medical Center between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2022. Patients admitted for other medical issues with concurrent IK were excluded. Demographic data, ocular and social risk factors, microbiological culture results, reasons for admission, length of stay, hospital charges, and clinical outcomes were obtained via chart review. Results: Fourteen patients with 16 ICU admissions were included. The average age was 51.7 years, and 79% were male. Most patients endorsed current illicit drug use (71%), and 36% were unhoused. The most common ocular risk factor was trauma (43%). Mean length of stay was 7.43 days, with a mean hospital charge of $48,535.90 per admission. Most ulcers were large (88%) and presented with poor vision (only 19% had better than hand motion vision). The most common reason for ICU admission was concern about outpatient compliance (63%). At last follow-up, 40% of patients had stable vision and 40% had improved vision compared to admission. Conclusions: ICU admission for IK in patients with significant social barriers may preserve vision, but it comes with substantial financial and societal cost. Alternative care strategies and preventative interventions should be considered to reduce reliance on ICU resources while maintaining effective treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Underserved Ophthalmology Healthcare)
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