Optometry and Vision Science (OVS)A Qualitative Assessment of the Experiences with Eye Health and Barriers to Eyeglasses among US Youth

How can we, as a collective of healthcare professionals, overcome the barriers preventing US youth from addressing their uncorrected refractive errors?

The issue of uncorrected refractive error amongst US youth has sparked critical concerns in the optometry field, with several key barriers obstructing the successful rectification of this prevalent problem. This deep dive into the youths’ own experiences and perspectives on eye health will provide fresh insight.

Key Points:

• Uncorrected refractive error is the primary cause of visual impairment among US youth.
• Out of 1,204 respondents, 65.8% reported having experienced problems with their eyes or eyesight.
• The vast majority of respondents, 85.1%, place high value on their eyesight.
• Appearance, cost, inconvenience, and discomfort are main barriers to wearing eyeglasses among US youth.

Additional Points:

• The survey indicated that 50.7% of youth are open to purchasing eyeglasses online.
• Age of respondents was on average 20.3 years, and 74% were White, suggesting the need for diversity in future studies.
• More than half of the respondents (58.8%) were male, hinting at a possible gender bias.

Conclusion:

• A multisectoral approach is required to tackle the barriers of appearance, cost, inconvenience, and discomfort associated with eyeglass use among US youth.

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Did You Know?
Although a large percentage of youth value their eyesight highly, over half have appearance-related concerns about wearing glasses.