Social factors influencing prescribing patterns for childhood myopia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Social and ophthalmic factors influencing prescribing patterns for childhood myopia in Northern Ireland: a data linkage study
IRAS ID
228743
Contact name
David Wright
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen's University Belfast
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Myopia (short-sight) is an increasingly common eye condition in childhood and children are becoming myopic at a younger age than in the past. Myopia is diagnosed by optometrists or ophthalmologists during NHS funded sight tests and spectacle correction is subsidised by the NHS through a spectacle ‘voucher’. We plan to use the information recorded about the age at which children have had their eyes tested, whether they were given glasses and what strength the glasses were to investigate at what age contemporary children typically get their first pair of spectacles to correct myopia and how strong those glasses are. Our previous research has shown that most ophthalmic practitioners in Northern Ireland expect children to get their first myopic spectacles in their teenage years, but most children actually become myopic before age 12. We want to know if practitioners’ views are reflected in what is actually prescribed for children. We also want to know if the age at which glasses are first prescribed for myopia and whether their strength is influenced by where the child lives, his/her family circumstances, where they get their eyes tested and by whom. We will use data from the 2011 Census to make these comparisons and to determine whether children are missing out on getting their glasses in a timely fashion and whether some groups are at greater risk. Research has demonstrated significant educational disadvantage to myopic children who don’t wear glasses and we aim to find out how much and for how many children delayed prescribing may influence educational attainment. If we find evidence that certain groups are not accessing and receiving eye care in a timely fashion we will engage with the public, eye, health and education professionals in order to raise awareness of the importance of early and regular sight testing.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
17/WA/0165
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion