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A randomized, clinical trial evaluating ready-made and custom spectacles delivered via a school-based screening
Yangfa Zeng1, Lisa Keay, Mingguang He
1State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Ophthalmology
|July 14, 2009
Summary
Ready-made spectacles (RMS) showed similar acceptability to custom spectacles (CS) in Chinese students with refractive errors. While visual acuity was slightly better with CS, RMS offer a cost-effective solution for school vision programs.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Pediatric Optometry
Background:
- Uncorrected refractive error is a significant cause of vision impairment in school-aged children.
- Ready-made spectacles (RMS) offer a potentially cost-effective alternative to custom spectacles (CS) for addressing refractive errors in school settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare visual performance and user satisfaction between RMS and CS in Chinese school-aged children with uncorrected refractive error.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted with junior high school students (12-15 years) in Guangzhou, China.
- Participants with at least 1 diopter (D) of spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error were randomly assigned to receive either RMS or CS.
- Visual acuity, compliance, patterns of use, symptoms, and perceived value were assessed after one month of wear.
Main Results:
- Spectacle vision (Snellen acuity) was statistically worse with RMS compared to CS in both eyes.
- However, there were no significant differences in the rate of spectacle wear, planned use, perceived value, or reported symptoms between the RMS and CS groups.
- Compliance rates at the one-month visit were similar, with approximately 47-52% of students attending.
Conclusions:
- Despite slightly lower visual acuity, RMS demonstrated comparable acceptability and satisfaction to CS among Chinese students with predominantly simple myopic refractive errors.
- The findings support the integration of RMS into school-based vision programs to enhance cost-effectiveness and streamline service delivery.
- RMS can be a viable option for improving access to vision correction in school-aged populations.
