To mark Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, India Vision Institute (IVI) recently hosted a panel discussion with VisionPlus on ‘Spectacle Wear Compliance Among School Children.’
The session, moderated by IVI’s CEO, Vinod Daniel, featured a panel that included Dr. Ashi Khurana, Vice Chancellor, C.L. Gupta Eye Institute, Dr. Krishna Kumar, Freelance Optometrist and Advisor to Optometry Services at Sankara Nethralaya, Dr. Sahithya, Pediatric Ophthalmologist, LAICO-Aravind Eye Care System, and Ms. Kumudha Thirunavukkarasu, General Manager – Sustainability and Professional Development, IVI.
The discussion delved into the critical issue of spectacle compliance among school children, exploring it from clinical, educational, and dispensing perspectives. Each panellist shared valuable insights stressing the importance of ensuring the consistent wearing of spectacles among children, particularly those provided during school vision screening programs.
A widespread misconception that spectacle use can exacerbate refractive errors often deters compliance,” said Dr. Ashi Khurana. She noted that cultural and societal pressures, particularly in girls, contribute significantly to parents’ reluctance to accept the need for glasses.
Dr. Krishna Kumar stressed the importance of involving children in selecting their frames, noting that allowing them to do so can enhance compliance. He emphasised the role of educating parents, particularly mothers, about the necessity for correcting refractive errors and ensuring their children wear glasses consistently.
Dr Sahithya said parental engagement was crucial for improving compliance. “Surprise visits to accurately measure compliance rates and empowering vision ambassadors in schools could reduce the burden on teachers involved in screening vision.” Older children tend to have poorer compliance rates compared to those under 12 years of age.
Ms Kumudha said the need for constant monitoring and evaluation to improve compliance among school children was important. She emphasised that compliance is often location-specific, necessitating customised monitoring methods to ensure effectiveness.
The panel discussion concluded with an open forum, including questions from Mr. Daniel and an active engagement from the live audience.
The discussion was a significant step forward in addressing the challenges of spectacle wear compliance among school children and improving eye health in young populations across India.
