identifeye HEALTH and Lions Club: Delivering retinal screening to underserved communities

The San Francisco Bay Area, where identifeye HEALTH is headquartered, is home to leading technology companies and world-class scientific institutions. Still, many Bay Area residents struggle with the region’s high cost of living, which can put healthcare out of reach. In a 2024 survey by the California Health Care Foundation, 53% of Californians, and 74% of Californians with low incomes, reported skipping or postponing care in the past year due to cost.¹

This includes care for diabetes, which leads to diabetic retinopathy and increases the risk of vision loss in 1 in 4 people.² This is why identifeye HEALTH is partnering with the Lions Club to bring retinal screening to underserved Bay Area communities and help connect people who need follow-up with eye care.

Local partners who share our commitment

We see it as our responsibility to support our neighbors, and we are grateful to work with local partners who share that commitment. Since 2023, identifeye HEALTH has partnered with local Lions Clubs, first in Connecticut and now also in the Bay Area. Lions Clubs International has supported vision care for more than a century. Here in our communities, local Lions leaders help make free retinal screenings possible. Lions Club members organize the events, spread the word, and coordinate staffing with medical professionals. Thank you to the Berlin Lions Club in Connecticut, and the Gilroy Lions Club and the DeAnza Lions Club in California, for your partnership.

Health fairs that bring care to the community

The Lions Club events identifeye HEALTH takes part in are usually half-day health fairs. They offer screenings for vision, hearing, diabetes, and hypertension, as well as new prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses. Mobile and pop-up clinics bring these services directly to people in their communities. For example, at a recent health fair at Christopher Ranch in Gilroy, farm workers could get screened, receive vaccinations, and pick up health education materials. Another health fair took place in a San Jose church gym, after services.

Portable screening with results at the point of care

The identifeye System is compact, battery-operated, and portable, making it easy to set up at these field clinics. Volunteer healthcare providers can quickly review retinal images on the tablet. For patients who may have limited access to routine checkups and screenings, the immediate return of results at the point of care is critical in giving them a chance to ask questions and understand what to do next. Volunteer physicians take time with each patient to explain their results, discuss how to manage chronic health conditions, and help arrange for follow-up care when needed.

Instructions in English and Spanish

Many of the patients we serve at these events speak Spanish as their first language and feel more comfortable receiving instructions in Spanish. The identifeye System offers spoken instructions in English and Spanish, decreasing the barrier for communication between volunteer staff and the patients to guide the patients through the retinal imaging exam. When interpreters are not available, hearing the prompts in Spanish can help patients feel more at ease and follow each step, even when the staff member capturing their retinal images doesn’t speak Spanish.

Four clinics, 163 exams

So far in 2026, identifeye HEALTH has partnered with the Lions Club at four clinics, conducting 163 retinal exams and recording referrals for follow-up. The identifeye System was able to take images of sufficient quality for evaluation in 98% of patients. The most common retinal pathologies across all patients imaged were diabetic retinopathy (6%) and suspicion of glaucoma (4%). Overall, 31% of patients screened with the identifeye System reported having a diagnosis of diabetes and 34% reported having a diagnosis of hypertension.

Patients whose screening results indicate the need for follow-up care need to be connected with affordable, accessible specialist services. The Lions Club is especially well prepared for this next step, with members who are physicians and partnerships with healthcare providers. For example, at a recent screening in Gilroy, CA, Dr. Mark Wieland referred patients to his local retinal specialty clinic for no-cost care.

You can help bring services like these to your community by donating, joining a local Lions Club, or volunteering at an event. With clubs around the world, there may be one near you. Learn how to get involved at lionsclubs.org.