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Teenagers favor contacts over spectacles for correcting refractive error
PHOENIX – Although teenagers appear satisfied with both contact lenses and spectacles as modes of refractive correction, a study presented here at Academy 2012 found that contact lenses demonstrated superior performance in more categories important to teenagers.
The study, presented in poster form, was conducted by a team of authors led by Andrew J. Plowright, MSc, and included 110 subjects between the ages of 13 and 19 years, with no history of contact lens wear. Subjects were randomized to wear either Dailies AquaComfort Plus lenses (Alcon) or new spectacles for 6 months. Pediatric Refractive Error Profile (PREP) and Quality of Life Impact of Refractive Correction questionnaires were given at baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, and subjective vision and “happiness” scores were collected via automated SMS text messaging once a week.
At 4 weeks, the study authors observed statistically significant differences in PREP scores in favor of contact lenses for appearance (P < .0001), satisfaction (P < .0001) and activities (P < .0001).
SMS scores of vision also showed a statistically significant increase in scores over time for the contact lens group (P = .002).
However, there was no significant difference between the two groups for SMS data collected for happiness.
Disclosure: This study was sponsored by Alcon Inc.