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Optical reading aids for children and young people with low vision
Lucy Barker1, Rachel Thomas, Gary Rubin
1Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 162 City Road, London, UK, EC1V 2PD.
Insights
This review found no studies on optical low vision aids for children. More research is needed to understand their impact on reading and development in young people with low vision.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Optometry
- Low Vision Rehabilitation
Background:
- Childhood low vision significantly impedes learning and educational progress.
- Optical low vision aids can enhance functional vision in children.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes low vision aids for visually impaired children globally.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of optical low vision aids in improving reading abilities among children and young individuals with low vision.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, etc.) up to January 2015.
- Included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs comparing optical low vision aids to standard correction in individuals aged 5-16 with WHO-defined low vision.
- Two authors independently screened search results for eligibility.
Main Results:
- No studies met the predefined inclusion criteria for this systematic review.
- Consequently, no data were available to assess the impact of optical low vision aids on reading in this population.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant gap in high-quality evidence regarding the use of optical low vision aids in children and young people.
- Current evidence does not support any practice recommendations for these devices.
- Future research should incorporate functional outcomes like reading speed, accuracy, comprehension, and quality of life to assess the true impact of low vision aids.
Background:
Low vision in childhood is a significant barrier to learning and development, particularly for reading and education. Optical low vision aids may be used to maximise the child's functional vision. The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously highlighted the importance of the use of low vision aids in managing children with visual impairment across the world.
Objectives:
To assess the effect of optical low vision aids on reading in children and young people with low vision.
Search Methods:
We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (2014, Issue 12), Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE Daily, Ovid OLDMEDLINE (January 1946 to January 2015), EMBASE (January 1980 to January 2015), the Health Technology Assessment Programme (HTA) (www.hta.ac.uk/), the ISRCTN registry (www.isrctn.com/editAdvancedSearch), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 8 January 2015.We also used manual searching to check the references listed in retrieved articles. Manufacturers of low vision aids were contacted to request any information about studies or research regarding their products.
Selection Criteria:
We planned to include randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs where any optical low vision aid was compared to standard refractive correction in children and young people aged between 5 and 16 years of age with low vision as defined by the WHO. We planned to include within-person design studies where the order of presentation of devices was randomised.
Data Collection And Analysis:
Two authors independently reviewed the search results for eligibility .
Main Results:
No studies met the inclusion criteria for this review.
Authors' Conclusions:
There is a lack of good quality evidence regarding the use of optical low vision aids in children and young people. As such, no implications for practice can be drawn. We believe future research should include functional outcome measures such as reading speed, accuracy and comprehension, as well as the effect of low vision aids on quality of life, in order to truly assess and compare the effect of these devices on a child's life and development.
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