Effective Near Vision Spectacle Coverage፡ An indicator to track implementation of universal eye health coverage

Abstract

Abstract Background Near visual impairment is a global public health issue that affects over a billion people. Effective near vision spectacle coverage is a useful indicator for the provision of services and to address the burden of uncorrected NVI, which maximizes performance of near tasks and productivity and improves quality of life, particularly in teachers. However, there was a paucity of evidence on effective near-vision spectacle coverage and barriers to uptake among teachers in our country. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the effective near vision spectacle coverage and identify barriers to use correction among school teachers in Debre Tabor town, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted using simple random sampling to enumerate 420 teachers. The data were ascertained through a personal interview and ocular examination. Epi-Data version 4.6 was used to code and enter the data before it was exported into the statistical package for social science version 26 for analysis. Summery statistics like frequency, mean, median, and quartile were performed. Results A total of 420 teachers were enrolled, with a response rate of 99.3%. The effective near vision coverage was 36.9% (95% CI: 34.1%, 41.2%), and the near vision spectacle coverage was 48.7% (95% CI: 45.0%, 52.2%), with 25.9% gaps. High costs, lack of felt need, low accessibility, lack of awareness, and misconceptions on spectacle use were the major barriers to use correction. Conclusion The study indicated that effective near-vision spectacle coverage among school teachers was low. These findings indicate the need for improved access to refractive services among teachers, for whom near vision plays a significant role. High costs, lack of felt needs, low accessibility of spectacle services, lack of awareness, and misconceptions about spectacle use were major barriers to use spectacle correction. The present effective near-vision spectacle coverage should be enhanced through the provision of affordable spectacles, increased awareness of NVI and barriers to correction through mass media, and encouraging regular eye checkups for older teachers.