Purpose:
To conduct a pilot study to determine if a modified version of the Pediatric Refractive Error Profile (PREP, Walline et al., 2007), a pediatric quality-of-life survey for subjects with refractive error, is useful for identifying factors associated with eyeglass wearing compliance.
Methods:
Subjects were 6-12th grade students who (1) attended one of two schools at which the majority of students were members of a Native American Tribe (Tohono O’odham) with a high prevalence of astigmatism, (2) completed a cycloplegic eye examination at which eyeglasses were prescribed (prescribing criteria: astigmatism >/= 1.00 D, myopia >/= 1.00 D on any meridian, hyperopia >/= 2.50 D on any meridian, anisometropia >/= 1.50 D spherical equivalent), and (3) reported current or previous eyeglass wear. Subjects completed a modified version of the PREP. An overall score and scores on 8 subscales (overall vision, near vision, far vision, symptoms, appearance, activities, academics, family/peer perceptions) were calculated. Mean scores were compared for subjects who were "compliant" vs. "non-compliant". Compliance categorization was based on whether or not subjects arrived at two un-announced study sessions (eye exam session and eyeglass dispensing session, both held at their school) wearing eyeglasses (compliant, n=11) or not wearing glasses (non-compliant, n=12). Seven students wore glasses to only one of the sessions and were excluded from analyses.
Results:
Mean scores are shown in the table below (scores ranged from 0 to 3, higher scores associated with greater satisfaction with glasses). Compliant subjects scored significantly better on overall vision (p < 0.04). Differences in symptoms, academics, and overall PREP score neared significance (p < 0.10).
Conclusions:
The modified PREP may be useful for identifying factors associated with eyeglass wearing compliance. Further research on validation of the modified PREP for this purpose is underway.
Keywords: astigmatism • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: biostatistics/epidemiology methodology • visual development: infancy and childhood