Parent, Teacher, and Student Perspectives on How Corrective Lenses Improve Child Wellbeing and School Function
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Parent, Teacher, and Student Perspectives on How Corrective Lenses Improve Child Wellbeing and School Function Rebecca N. Dudovitz1,2 • Nilufar Izadpanah3,6 • Paul J. Chung1,2,4,5 Wendelin Slusser1,2,4,7
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Published online: 9 December 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015
Abstract Objectives Up to 20 % of school-age children have a vision problem identifiable by screening, over 80 % of which can be corrected with glasses. While vision problems are associated with poor school performance, few studies describe whether and how corrective lenses affect academic achievement and health. Further, there are virtually no studies exploring how children with correctable visual deficits, their parents, and teachers perceive the connection between vision care and school function. Methods We conducted a qualitative evaluation of Vision to Learn (VTL), a school-based program providing free & Rebecca N. Dudovitz [email protected] Nilufar Izadpanah [email protected] Paul J. Chung [email protected] Wendelin Slusser [email protected] 1
Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Le Conte Ave. 12-358 CHS, MC: 175217, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
2
Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
3
California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA, USA
4
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
5
RAND Health, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA
6
UCLA Peds-CHP, Box 956939, 10990 Wilshire Blvd St 900, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6939, USA
7
UCLA Chancellor’s Office - Healthy Campus Initiative, Box 951405, 2231 Murphy Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1405, USA
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corrective lenses to low-income students in Los Angeles. Nine focus groups with students, parents, and teachers from three schools served by VTL explored the relationships between poor vision, receipt of corrective lenses, and school performance and health. Results Twenty parents, 25 teachers, and 21 students from three elementary schools participated. Participants described how uncorrected visual deficits reduced students’ focus, perseverance, and class participation, affecting academic functioning and psychosocial stress; how receiving corrective lenses improved classroom attention, task persistence, and willingness to practice academic skills; and how serving students in school rather than in clinics increased both access to and use of corrective lenses. Conclusions for Practice Corrective lenses may positively impact families, teachers, and students coping with visual deficits by improving school function and psychosocial wellbeing. Practices that increase ownership and use of glasses, such as serving students in school, may significantly improve both child health and academic performance. Keywords Visual deficits Corrective lenses Child health School performance Screening
Significance Although studies document associations between uncorrected poor vision and poor academic achievement, mechanisms for how correcting vi
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