Acknowledgement

This activity is provided by Talem Health and RME Collaborative.

This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 

Credit Available

• Physicians — maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
• Nurses — 1.0 Contact Hour 
• Pharmacists — 1.0 Contact Hour (0.1 CEU)

All other healthcare professionals completing this course will be issued a statement of participation.

Target Audience

This activity is designed specifically for primary care clinicians, nurses, eye care specialists (retinal specialists, ophthalmologists, and optometrists), and other members of the healthcare team who care for patients from rural and underserved communities.

Program Overview

Limited access to specialized eye care hinders early detection and treatment of retinal disease in rural and underserved areas, leading to delayed referrals and suboptimal outcomes. Fortunately, health professionals can work together across disciplines to overcome these challenges in resource-limited settings. This activity, part of the four-part series entitled Eye on Access: A Longitudinal Approach to Closing the Gaps in Retinal Disease Care in Rural and Underserved Communities, features an interdisciplinary panel discussion among a retina specialist, optometrist, and rural primary care physician. In this collaborative conversation, expert faculty will explore practical strategies to improve access and continuity of care for patients in rural and underserved settings. They will also highlight emerging tools, technologies, and team-based approaches to improve retinal disease management and ways to enhance communication and coordination across the vision care continuum. 

The content for this enduring activity was recorded on October 29, 2025.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:  

• Discuss the roles of primary care, optometrists, and retina specialists for improving access to care in rural and underserved communities 
• Evaluate new and emerging tools and technologies to enhance early detection and referral 
• Implement team-based strategies to improve communication and coordination across the vision care continuum

Faculty

Rishi P. Singh, MD
Chair, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Mass General Brigham
Boston, MA

Nathan Lighthizer, OD
Dean and Professor of Optometry 
Founder and Head, Dry Eye Clinic
Oklahoma College of Optometry
Northeastern State University
Tahlequah, OK

Cody A. Chastain, MD, MEHP
Associate Professor of Medicine
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, TN

Joint Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, Talem Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

 

Credit Designation Statement

Physician Continuing Medical Education
Talem Health designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Nursing Education
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.0 contact hour. 

Continuing Pharmacy Education
Talem Health designates this continuing education activity for 1.0 contact hour (0.1 CEU) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. 
(Universal Activity Number – JA4008332-0000-25-074-H01-P) 
Type of Activity: Application

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Talem Health adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others, are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All identified conflicts of interest are thoroughly vetted and mitigated according to Talem Health policy. Talem Health is committed to providing its learners with high quality accredited continuing education activities and related materials that promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of an ineligible company.

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated. 

The faculty reported the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities related to the educational content of this CE activity:

Faculty

Rishi P. Singh, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships: consultant/advisory board member for Alcon, Inc., Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bausch + Lomb, EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Genentech, Inc., Iveric Bio/Astellas Pharma, Inc., Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Regenxbio, Inc., and ZEISS Group International; grant/research support from Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Nathan Lighthizer, OD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships: consultant/advisory board member for Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Alcon, Bausch & Lomb, Bruder Healthcare Company, Diopsys, Inc., EyePromise, Horizon Therapeutics, Ivantis, Inc., LKC Pharma, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, OCuSOFT, Inc., Orasis Pharmaceuticals, Oyster Point Pharma (now Viatris, Inc.), Reichert, Inc., Sight Sciences, Inc., Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Thea Pharma, Inc., and Virtual Vision Health; speaker honorarium from Alcon, Allergan (now AbbVie, Inc.), Avellino, Diopsys, Inc., Dompé, Ellex Medical (now Lumibird Medical), iCare Health Solutions, Innova Systems, Lumenis Be, Ltd., NIDEK, Inc., Optovue, Inc., Reichert, Inc., RVL Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sight Sciences, Inc., Sun Pharma, TRIAD Ophthalmics, and Virtual Vision Health.

Cody A. Chastain, MD, MEHP, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Planners, Managers, and Reviewer 

The Talem Health planners, managers, and reviewer have nothing to disclose.

Instructions for Participation and Credit

This activity is offered at no cost to participants. To receive CME credit, participants must:

1. Read the CME/CE information, including learning objectives and disclosure statements.
2. Complete the pre-test.
3. View the online activity.
4. Complete the post-test and evaluation form.

A post-test score of 67% or higher is required to obtain credit. Your certificate will be made available for immediate download.

Course Viewing Requirements

Supported Browsers:
Desktop/laptop: Newest and last prior version of Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge
Mobile devices: Newest and last prior version of Safari and Google Chrome

Supported Phones & Tablets:
All devices

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. The planners of this activity do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of the planners. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings. 

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications and/or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. 

©RME Collaborative, a division of Talem Health, LLC. All Rights Reserved. These materials may be used for personal use only. Any rebroadcast, distribution, or reuse of this presentation or any part of it in any form for other than personal use without the express written permission of Talem Health, LLC is prohibited.

Media

Internet activity

Fee Information

There is no fee for this educational activity.

Contact Information

For questions about this activity, please contact RME Collaborative (a division of Talem Health) at 800-913-9370 or cme@cmeruralhealth.com.