Lake AJ, et al. - From September 2014 to April 2015, researchers performed a pragmatic, two-arm randomized controlled trial to analyze the impact of a tailored, evidence-based brief health behaviour change intervention (leaflet) on self-reported screening uptake, and earlier identified social cognitive determinants of retinal screening. Participants in the study were stratified by prior screening uptake (Yes/No) and randomly allocated to intervention (leaflet) or ‘usual care’ control (no leaflet). One hundred twenty-nine young adults (26% no prior retinal screen) completed baseline; 101 completed postintervention. This research verifies that a well-designed leaflet for the promotion of eye health and retinal screening will increase awareness of diabetic retinopathy, a significant screening predictor. The study highlights the complexities of conducting research on changes in 'real-world' health behavior with this priority population, offering lessons for clinicians and researchers. Recruitment, participation, and retention approaches are explored including nonconventional alternatives to randomized controlled trial designs.