Visual health screening by schoolteachers in remote communities of Peru: implementation research.

Objective: To describe the adaptation and scaling-up of an intervention to improve the visual health of children in the Apurimac region, Peru.

Methods: In a pilot screening programme in 2009-2010, 26 schoolteachers were trained to detect and refer visual acuity problems in schoolchildren in one district in Apurimac. To scale-up the intervention, lessons learnt from the pilot were used to design strategies for: (i) strengthening multisector partnerships; (ii) promoting the engagement and participation of teachers and (iii) increasing children's attendance at referral eye clinics.