Access to Care Guide: Tools for Expanding Vision Care in Underserved Communities 

Across the United States, healthcare deserts continue to limit patients’ ability to receive essential healthcare services, including vision care.  

For eye care providers, stepping into these communities represents both a profound opportunity and a meaningful responsibility.  

As part of an ongoing commitment to support and expand access to eyecare, the Global Innovation Center has assembled the Access to Care Guide, an interactive collection of existing and new resources to help optometrists extend care into undeserved communities. 

From opening a new practice and expanding footprint to seeking recruiting providers or tools to make vision care more accessible, the Access to Care Guide is designed to help ODs navigate each step with clarity and confidence. 

The Guide contains resources tailored specifically for practices operating in underserved areas—from specialized loan options and recruitment support to new technologies that increase capacity and innovative models shaping the future of care delivery.

It also highlights programs designed for students and early-career ODs interested in serving high-need communities, as well as insights into emerging solutions transforming how patients access healthcare.

The Access to Care Guide provides details about seven resources available to VSP network providers:  

1. Healthcare Desert Loan: Vision One Credit Union’s private practice loan financing—powered by VSP Vision—supports a wide range of practice needs, and a key feature of the program is its healthcare desert loan option, designed to help providers open or expand practices in underserved areas. It aims to increase access to eye care where it’s needed most by providing targeted financial support for practices committed to serving these communities.  
    
2. VSP PEEK: The VSP PEEK (Portable Eye Exam Kit) gives eye care providers a way to offer comprehensive exams in places where traditional clinic setups aren’t available — whether that’s a neighboring rural county, a community center, a school, or anywhere people struggle to access in-office care. The custom-built kit, which fits inside a lightweight carry-on suitcase, contains all the necessary technology and tools to deliver comprehensive, remote, asynchronous eye exams.
    
3. Recruitment Assistance: Today, staffing a new practice anywhere can be a challenge, and it can be even more difficult when launching a location in an underserved area. To address this challenge, VSP Vision offers expert OD Recruitment Support, available to PECAA Max members, to help practices hire ODs with greater ease and confidence. The program includes dedicated talent acquisition support, expanded candidate reach, and more.  

For more about these resources plus four others, check out the Access to Care Guide. 

For more vision innovation news and updates, check out the Global Innovation Center's LinkedIn page.