Research

This study aims to assess spectacle-wear compliance and identify associated visual factors among children participating in Chile’s school spectacle provision program.

A total of 270 school children were prescribed spectacles and monitored after 1 year.

Visual acuity, refractive error, reasons for not wearing spectacles, and self-reported visual function were assessed in the study

Compliance is reported as the proportion of children wearing spectacles at the 1-year visit.

Overall compliance was 58%. Spectacle use was independently associated with age and refractive error. Older children were less likely to be compliant.

Primary reasons for not wearing spectacles included breakage/loss in younger children, and disliking the appearance in teenagers.

The study found greater compliance in spectacle wear than that reported in most published studies.

Guidelines for provision of children’s spectacles should consider excluding children with mild refractive error and improving spectacle quality and appearance.

More studies on the efficacy of school screening programs in Chile and other Latin American countries are expected to provide information basic to policy changes leading to more effective and resource-saving programs. Part-time spectacle use is not a popular strategy in Chile, but it can be implemented and assessed in the future.

More Latin American studies to assess compliance and associated factors, as well as to guide future national and regional policies in refractive error detection and correction in school children are also needed.