Hidalgo Medical Services launches tele-optometry care in rural counties

Patients in rural Hidalgo County who have had to drive to larger medical centers for eye care now have a closer option. Hidalgo Medical Services has launched tele-optometry vision services that will run through its clinics in Lordsburg and Silver City, combining on-site staff with licensed optometrists connected through secure telehealth technology.

The service is aimed at people who live far from specialty care or who struggle with transportation, a common barrier in a county where even routine appointments can mean a long trip. HMS said the new model will include comprehensive eye exams, screenings and specialized testing, with trained staff guiding patients through the in-person portion of the visit while the optometrist handles the remote evaluation.

That matters because vision care is not being added as a separate, one-off offering. HMS already lists vision exams among the preventive services it provides through primary care, alongside the medical, dental, behavioral health, family support, pharmacy and transportation services it offers across southwest New Mexico. The organization also says care is delivered at multiple sites in Hidalgo and Grant counties, including school-based clinics, giving the new eye-care program a built-in network to reach patients where they already seek care.

HMS says it is the only Federally Qualified Health Center in both counties. The organization traces its roots to 1980, when it was established as a National Health Services Corps site, and other history materials say it opened in 1995 as a joint project between the University of New Mexico Office of Community Health and local Hidalgo County residents at a time when the county had no access to basic health care services.

The new optometry service fits into a broader access push. In January, HMS said New Mexico Rural Health Care Delivery Fund money was supporting two mobile units, one for primary care and one for oral health care, to be deployed to rural communities and local school systems in both counties. HMS has also said it had a 94% average patient satisfaction rate in calendar year 2025 and year to date, and on May 6 said the Health Resources and Services Administration had notified it that the health center was in full compliance with all FQHC program requirements.

HMS said more details on clinic hours, service availability and scheduling will be shared in the coming weeks. For patients seeking the new service, the appointment number is 575-800-1HMS, a direct route to care that could spare another trip out of town.