Ophthalmic Physicians Focus On Hispanic Children.

Almost 90 percent of Hispanic children ages 10 to 17 years who participated in a 30-day crossover study wearing prescription eyeglasses with Transitions Lenses and regular, clear lenses preferred the benefits of Transitions Lenses over clear lenses. Transitions Lenses change from clear to sunglass dark when exposed to sunlight and block 100 percent of ultraviolet (UV) rays and greatly reduce glare.

In the study “A Focus on Children’s Quality of Vision: Factors Affecting Eyeglass Lens Preferences,” optometric physician Madeline L. Romeu, O.D. and Susan Stenson, M.D., clinical professor at New York University School of Medicine in the Department of Ophthalmology, considered factors involving quality of vision, an increasing concern in vision correction in adults and children.

The study considered ocular comfort, convenience, peer relationships and self-perception. “In children as with adults, quality of vision involves minimizing eyestrain, protecting against impact, modulating light, and blocking UV rays. Those factors are as relevant to quality of vision as 20/20 on the standardized Snellen acuity chart is to quality of vision,” said Dr. Romeu. When asked whether they have trouble seeing in the bright sun when wearing their Transitions Lenses, 47 percent compared with 27 percent of clear lenses wearers said “no trouble at all”.

With 80 percent of learning coming through the eyes, comfort is important since children will be more likely to wear their glasses. Sixty-one percent of the group wearing photochromic lenses noted that their friends liked their glasses more than clear lenses; the younger children indicated greater peer acceptance of their photochromic lenses. “It is important that children feel good about themselves, if they do, they tend to keep their glasses on and not to lose them. Our participants felt they were ‘special’ and their friends thought they were really ‘cool’,” said Dr. Romeu. “Making sure their children see well, protecting their eyes against UV exposure and feeling good about their self-image was a priority for almost every parent involved in the study.”

The study also measured parental acceptance of photochromic lenses, 98 percent of the parents said they would definitely select photochromic lenses for their child in the future since they would only have to buy one pair of glasses and the children would be less likely to lose them.

Methodology:
This randomized trial involved two 30-day periods. In the first trial period, each child was randomly assigned to a trial pair of prescription eyeglasses with either clear lenses or Transitions Lenses. During the second trial period, the child was switched to eyeglasses using the alternative type of lens.

Participants:
The study enrolled 49 children: 25 girls and 24 boys. All were between the ages of 10 and 17, with 24 children in the 10-13 age group and 25 in the 14-17 age group. The children’s preferences were assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Vision Survey (PQVS).