A Qualitative Assessment of the Experiences with Eye Health and Barriers to Eyeglasses among U.S. Youth

Author:

Killeen Olivia J.,Cho Juno1,Raven Sarah A.1,Wang Grace M.2,Mubeen Amani3,Kim Lydia3,Claus Anne3,Woodward Maria A.,Newman-Casey Paula Anne,Chang Tammy

Affiliation:

1. University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan

2. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

3. University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Abstract

SIGNIFICANCE Uncorrected refractive error is the main cause of visual impairment in U.S. youth and has profound impacts on individuals and society. Identifying and addressing barriers to eyeglasses in this population are critical to maximize youth academic performance, workplace productivity, and quality of life. PURPOSE We aimed to understand youth experiences with eye health, assess the value that youth place on vision, and identify barriers to refractive correction directly from a nationwide sample of youth to inform interventions to address uncorrected refractive error in this population. METHODS An open-ended poll was distributed to the MyVoice Text Message Cohort of U.S. youth eliciting youth experiences with eye health and barriers to wearing eyeglasses. Text message responses were coded using grounded theory. RESULTS Of 1204 recipients, 88.3% (n = 1063) responded. The mean age ± standard deviation was 20.3 ± 2.4 years, 58.8% (n = 625) were male, 74.0% (n = 787) were White, and 41.4% (n = 440) reported low socioeconomic status. Four major themes emerged from the open-ended responses: (1) many youth have experienced problems with their eyes or eyesight (n = 699 [65.8%]); (2) many youth value their eyesight highly (n = 905 [85.1%]; e.g., “Eyesight is one of the most important aspects of my health, particularly in our digital world…”); (3) common reasons youth might not wear glasses even if they need them include concerns over appearance (n = 553 [52.0%]; e.g., “I thought every pair made me look ugly…”), cost (n = 171 [16.1%]), inconvenience (n = 166 [15.6%]), and discomfort (n = 104 [9.8%]); and (4) youth are open to purchasing eyeglasses online (n = 539 [50.7%]). CONCLUSIONS Appearance, cost, inconvenience, and discomfort are critical barriers to wearing eyeglasses among U.S. youth. A multisectoral response is necessary to address these barriers.

Publisher

Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)

Subject

Optometry,Ophthalmology

Reference38 articles.

1. Racial Disparities in Uncorrected and Undercorrected Refractive Error in the United States;Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci,2014

2. The Impact of Uncorrected Refractive Error and Visual Impairment on the Quality of Life amongst School-going Children in Sekhukhune District (Limpopo), South Africa;Afr Vis Eye Health,2022

3. Utility and Uncorrected Refractive Error;Ophthalmology,2013

4. Impact of Refractive Errors on the Academic Performance of High School Children of Lahore;Front Public Health,2022

5. The Impact of Providing Vision Screening and Free Eyeglasses on Academic Outcomes: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Title I Elementary Schools in Florida;J Policy Anal Manage,2018

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