As pioneers in mobile vision care for clinical trials, we continue to pursue our mission of delivering high-quality, accessible eye care and vision care directly to patients. Through this approach, each clinical trial optometrist supports ophthalmic research by providing consistent, patient-focused care across a wide range of eye conditions in clinical study settings.
Our Life Sciences team plays a crucial part in accomplishing this goal. Traveling across the country, they are quite literally on the ground making patients’ lives easier and delivering outstanding care for clinical trial participants wherever they go.
But our team isn’t complete without our network of passionate optometrists. Just this year, we have contracted almost 100 optometrists providing an unrivaled patient experience for clinical trial participants in nearly every state. We depend on them to get to know each patient (and their eyes) individually from the moment they come aboard our Mobile Vision Clinic.
Two optometrists in our network, Dr. Steven Weifenbach and Dr. Swati Kumar, share why they value their role as Clinical Trial Optometrists on 20/20 Onsite’s Life Sciences team. Through their work, they help expand access to specialized eye care, support research studies focused on eye health and eye disease, and contribute to the future of accessible clinical vision care.
You may be used to seeing patients in your typical brick-and-mortar office, but how about providing eye exams to a diverse group of patients onboard an exam room with wheels?
20/20 Onsite Life Sciences Mobile Vision Clinic
“I love that 20/20 Onsite caters to such an expansive patient demographic within a different clinical setting,” Dr. Kumar says. “Working with pharmaceutical companies and conducting clinical trials is an extremely unique practice modality. It was very exciting for me to see and be a part of this very important side of medicine that ultimately guides our everyday practice.”
Since our Life Sciences team works with clinical research organizations and biopharmaceutical companies to provide critical vision assessments in different phases of clinical studies, our patients represent a diverse pool of individuals who are enrolled in trials for potentially life-saving medications — including pediatric patients.
“I heard about the opportunity with 20/20 Onsite to work with kids in a mobile setting, which are two factors that I really enjoy,” Dr. Weifenbach says. “I think children are underserved in their care and their needs, so an opportunity like this – the ability to increase access and deliver pediatric care wherever it’s needed – was very interesting to me. And it’s hard to pass up on such a great opportunity.”
In a recent post-market safety exam program, our team saw over 400 pediatric patients as young as 4 months old and as old as 18. This engaging work is one of the many reasons optometrists join our team and continue coming back for more. Given his fulfilling experience, Dr. Weifenbach assures, “if you’re looking for a change of pace and are interested in the mobile optometry setting, 20/20 Onsite is definitely an excellent opportunity for you! It’s absolutely something you should consider.”
A pediatric patient having fun onboard our Mobile Vision Clinic.
Optometrists play an important role in the overall health and well-being of individuals by providing comprehensive, routine eye exams that can also detect other health problems patients may have. When you work with 20/20 Onsite as a Life Sciences team member, your optometry expertise is put to use in other critical ways, such as monitoring the safety and impact that medications may have on patients’ vision or pre-screening patients who need to participate in an upcoming clinical trial.
In most cases, the work you do onboard our Mobile Vision Clinics will drastically improve the lives of patients, and sometimes even save their life, while reducing the barriers of travel and typical office wait times. Typically, trial participants can wait between six to eight months to be seen at a brick-and-mortar optometry office. 20/20 Onsite patients are seen within three months, and many wait just 30 days.
Reminiscing on a recent experience, Dr. Kumar shares, “We drove 3 hours to see my first patient and it was a really special experience. The family was so genuinely grateful for our willingness to travel such a long distance, on a holiday weekend, to see them. It was a great feeling to know we helped lessen someone’s burden, even just a little.”
What used to be a demanding process for patients, particularly in underserved communities, is now more convenient and accessible. With 20/20 Onsite, patients travel an average of 12.36 miles or less for their appointment onboard our MVC – a drastic improvement from most clinical trials where the average distance traveled is 41.2 miles.
“I’m part of 20/20’s initiative to expand eye care because there has always been a population out there that has a hard time being reached, especially for quality eye care,” Dr. Weifenbach explains. “Technology is constantly changing, so every 2 to 4 years the office looks different because of new equipment or standard of care. But in some areas that are rural or not easily accessed, those new technologies are harder to offer to patients due to demographics, distance from the office, and certain socio-economic factors. There is a population of people who need help and aren’t getting the eye care they need. And I think they should be able to receive it.”
Working at 20/20 Onsite is an opportunity to help our patients perceive the world in new ways. Our optometrists play a vital role in providing vision care to patients who would not otherwise be able to access these essential treatments. Thanks to our outstanding team, 20/20 Onsite has been pushing the boundaries of vision care and innovation since 2014. We’ve been trusted by top clinical research organizations to provide a unique and convenient experience for their trial patients, receiving a nearly 100% retention rate on a year-to-year basis.
As a leader in mobile vision care, our MVCs come standard with unique and cutting-edge technology that makes it easier – and more enjoyable – for our doctors to accurately assess patients and collect data. Onboard, you will find innovative equipment including a high-tech digital autorefractor and a digital auto phoropter, and our high-definition retinal camera – a camera that’s not often found in the typical optometrist's office!
Our recent observational study shows that a mobile eye exam delivered by a clinical trial optometrist produces data that is just as reliable and accurate as exams conducted in traditional brick-and-mortar settings.
Spaces inside our Life Sciences Mobile Vision Clinic
Dr. Kumar experienced our high-tech imaging technology firsthand while delivering clinical eye exams across a range of ophthalmic conditions, including retinal disease and visual acuity assessments, reinforcing how mobile settings can support reliable care in clinical research. Dr Kumar stated, “The 20/20 team is so professional and skilled with their state-of-the-art exam lane on board that it truly made even my first exam seamless. I felt like I was in my very own exam room.”
Learn more about the innovative technology onboard our Mobile Vision Clinic.
With the help of our contracted optometrists, every year our Mobile Vision Clinics travel across all 48 continental U.S. states caring for patients while making exciting stops along the way. In 2021, our team traveled 75,360 miles delivering eye care to patients of all ages, even children as young as 4 months old. “It may be a far drive, but you’re also getting to go somewhere new,” Dr. Weifenbach points out. “Especially after being cooped up during COVID, it’s a nice change to go to new places and experience other states. It’s refreshing to explore your own state as well. From traveling to meeting amazing people, it’s truly a wonderful opportunity.”
The Mobile Vision Clinic driving through the West Coast.
20/20 Onsite could be rolling to a state near you. As a clinical trial optometrist, you’ll help deliver accessible eye care and vision care to underserved patients participating in clinical trials, supporting enrollment and improving eye health across a wide range of eye conditions. Join our Life Sciences research team full-time or part-time, no matter where you’re located in the U.S. To learn more about this unique optometry opportunity, contact Dr. Alina Reznik at areznik@2020onsite.com