Collins Onyeahiri*

Ophthalmology Department, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Collins Onyeahiri, Ophthalmology Department, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria.

Received: February 20, 2024; Published: March 10, 2024

Abstract

Background: Spectacle lens remains the most cost-effective, non-invasive and widely acceptable means of correcting refractive errors. This study is aimed at assessing the level of spectacle utilisation and its barriers among patients undergoing refraction in tertiary hospitals in Bauchi State.

Methods: Descriptive survey research design was employed in the study. The respondents consisted of three hundred and eighty-four (384) male and female patients, aged18 to 80 years, undergoing refraction at Eye Units of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi and Specialist Hospital, Bauchi; who were conveniently and purposefully sampled. Their mean age was 46.0 ± 15.4 years and 52.1% were males. Respondents’ demographics, level of spectacle utilisation and its barriers were collected using questionnaires developed through the literature review. Pearson chi-square test was used to investigate associations between outcome variables and p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence level.

Results: There were high spectacle utilisation especially in the areas of reading (73.0%), and vision improvement (73.0%) among the respondents. There were association between patients’ educational level and spectacle utilisation in the areas of vision improvement (X2 = 46.66, p-value = 0.0000); and reading (X2 = 20.03, p-value = 0.0000). High cost (p = 0.0359) was the most significant barrier.

Conclusion: Educational qualification enhances spectacle utilisation, and high cost poses significant barrier. The study recommended the provision of affordable spectacles and counselling of patients on its benefits to enhance utilisation.

Keywords: Refractive Errors; Utilisation; Spectacle Lenses; Barriers; Avoidable Blindness

References

1. International Labour Organisation. “Eye health and the world of work”. Geneva: International Labour Office; (2023).
2. Borode SB and Salawu RA. “Knowledge and Acceptance of Corrective Measures for Refractive Errors Among Teachers in Selected Secondary Schools in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, Ekiti State”. International Journal of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences2 (2022): 25-34.
3. Pallerla SR., et al. “Awareness and knowledge about refractive errors and strabismus in South Indian population”. International Journal of Medicine and Public Health3 (2022): 1312-1317.
4. Mukhaiseer MH and Faisal V. “Attitudes and Beliefs of Students to spectacles wear for the correction of refractive errors in Dijlah University College”. DJSE 2 (2021): 15-21.
5. Vankudre GS and Noushad B. “Barriers and Perception Towards Spectacle Wear among a Student Population of University of Buraimi, Oman”. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal3 (2021): 416-422.
6. Garg P and Malik M. “Awareness of Presence of Refractive error among Rural North Indian Population”. Journal of Ophthalmology and Research2 (2020): 16-26.
7. Alrasheed SH., et al. “Attitudes and perceptions of Sudanese high-school students and their parents towards spectacle wear”. African Vision Eye Health1 (2018): 1-7.
8. Alswailmi FK., et al. “Attitude of Female Undergraduates Towards Spectacle Correction of Refractive Errors”. COJ Nursing and Healthcare3 (2018): 422-426.
9. Sethu S., et al. “Prevalence of refractive errors, uncorrected refractive error, and presbyopia in adults in India A systematic review”. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology5 (2019): 583-592.
10. Bambamba J., et al. “Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) about Refractive Error among Students Attending Faculty of Health Sciences at Lúrio University in Mozambique. 2020”. Open Journal of Ophthalmology 12 (2022): 57-69.
11. Mireku A and Ebenezer E. “Attitudes and Beliefs of Undergraduate Students to Spectacle Wear”. JOJ Ophthalmology2 (2018): 1-5.
12. Rodge HY and Lokhande S. “Refractive Error in Children”. International Journal of Current Research and Review23 (2020): 185-188.
13. Abdulsalam HO., et al. “Pattern of Ametropia, Presbyopia, and Barriers to the Uptake of Spectacles in Adult Patients Attending a General Hospital in Kaduna State”. Journal of the West African College of Surgeons 1 (2022): 28-33.
14. Kyari F., et al. “Prevalence of Blindness and Visual Impairment in Nigeria: The National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey”. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science5 (2009): 2033-2039.
15. Grosvenor T. “Primary Care Optometry”. 4^th Butterworth-Heinemann (2018): 29-30, 48,124-125,488-495.
16. Khan NE., et al. “Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards refractive error amongst students”. African Vision Eye Health1 (2022): 1-7.
17. Gopishetty M., et al. “Awareness, Knowledge of Spectacles to Contact Lens Usage among Health Care Students”. Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology2 (2022): 254-258.
18. Maitreya A and Dhasmana R. “Spectacles and Refractive Errors: Children’s Perspective”. The Official Scientific Journal of Delhi Ophthalmological Society2 (2017): 30-35.
19. Ezinne NE., et al. “Spectacle utilisation rate and reasons for non-compliance amongst primary school children in Onitsha, Anambra state, Nigeria”. African Vision and Eye Health1 (2020): 16-19.
20. Morjaria P., et al. “Predictors of Spectacle Wear and Reasons for Non wear in Students Randomized to Ready-made or Custom-made Spectacles Results of Secondary Objectives from a Randomized Non inferiority Trial”. JAMA Ophthalmology4 (2019): 408414.
21. Abdulhussein D and Hussein MA. “WHO Vision 2020: Have We Done It?” Ophthalmic Epidemiology 1 (2022): 1-10.
22. Acquah EK., et al. “Attitudes and beliefs of undergraduate students to spectacle wear in Ghana”. Advances in Ophthalmology and Visual System 1 (2018): 30-35.
23. Ogbu N., et al. “The knowledge of rural secondary school students on spectacle wear for correction of refractive errors: a southeast Nigerian study”. Advances in Ophthalmology and Visual System1 (2022): 3-28.
24. Mukhaiseer MH and Faisal V. “Attitudes and Beliefs of Students to spectacles wear for the correction of refractive errors in Dijlah University College”. DJSE 2 (2021): 15-21.
25. Sano BS and Diyale SP. “Barriers to spectacle acceptance among secondary school students in Igabi, North-Western Nigeria”. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health 11 (2020): 4283-4288.
26. Smith E., et al. “Eyeglasses for Global Development: Bridging the Visual Divide”. World Economic Forum (2018).
27. Desalegn A., et al. “Knowledge, attitude, practice and associated factors towards spectacles use among adults in Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia”. BMC Ophthalmology 16 (2016): 184-195.
28. Department of Ophthalmology, ATBUTH, Bauchi, and SHB, Record unit. (2022).
29. Boaitey O. “Knowledge, Attitude and Perception of Spectacle Use Among Senior High School Students in Ghana”. International Journal of Healthcare Sciences2 (2018): 632-640.

Citation

Citation: Collins Onyeahiri. “Spectacle Lens Utilisation for Correction of Refractive Errors and its Barriers among Patients Attending Eye Clinics in Tertiary Hospitals in Bauchi State, Nigeria".Acta Scientific Ophthalmology 7.4 (2024): 03-15.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2024 Collins Onyeahiri. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.