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Background:
California is home to an estimated 850,000 farmworkers who experience a dual burden of occupational health risks and limited access to care. Environmental exposures increase susceptibility to eye injuries, while structural barriers such as low insurance coverage, transportation challenges, and language discordance reduce preventive eye examinations and delay chronic eye disease diagnosis. Despite these risks, data describing ocular health and eye care access among Latino agricultural workers remain limited.

Objective:
In partnership with the Dolores Huerta Foundation and the UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic (UMEC), this study aims to assess ocular health and evaluate access to eye care among agricultural workers in Kern County, California.

Methods: 
A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured survey that collected demographic characteristics, occupational history and eye care access. Participants were screened by UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic (UMEC). Agricultural workers were eligible if they were ≥18 years of age with at least one year of work experience in California’s Central Valley. Participants were recruited in partnership with a community-based organization. Outcome measures included visual impairment, chronic eye disease, occupational eye injuries, and access to eye care. Data were summarized with counts, frequencies and averages. 

Results: 
A total of 106 agricultural workers completed a comprehensive eye exam, including visual acuity, intraocular pressure measurement by iCare tonometry, autorefraction and a dilated fundus exam. The mean age was 50 ± 13.4 years, 63/106 (59.4%) were female and 95/106 (89.6%) were primarily Spanish-speaking. Overall, 39/106 (36.8%) had never received a comprehensive eye exam and 40/67 (59.7%) had not had an eye exam within the past two years. Additionally, 29/106 (27.4%) were uninsured and 85/106 (80.2%) reported annual household incomes below $30,000. Among participants, ocular conditions identified were refractive error (99/106, 93.3%), pterygium/pingueculum (64/106, 60.4%), glaucoma/glaucoma suspect (20/106, 18.9%), cataract (13/106, 12.3%), and diabetic retinopathy (1/20, 5%). In total, 39/106 (36.8%) of agricultural workers were referred for ophthalmology follow-up. Participants had worked in agriculture for an average of 17.7 ± 10.8 years and 34/106 (32.1%) reported having an eye injury at their work place. Of those who had an eye injury, 27/34 (79.4%) were not evaluated by an ophthalmologist at the time of injury.

Conclusion: 
Mobile vision clinics for agricultural workers in Kern County revealed a substantial burden of chronic eye disease, including cataract and glaucoma. As one of the first studies to characterize eye disease prevalence among Latino agricultural workers, these findings underscore the value of community-based partnerships in delivering essential vision care services to underserved populations.