Parental perspectives on factors influencing eyeglass wear compliance in preschoolers from low-income families in San Francisco

Abstract

To investigate factors associated with spectacle wear among low-income preschoolers who receive glasses through the See Well to Learn (SWTL) program. Qualitative study of parental perceptions of factors contributing to compliance during a longitudinal study of eyeglass wear utilizing thematic analysis of a series of three scripted phone calls during the 2017-2018 school year. Participants were parents of 164 children ages 3-5, from 51 Head Start preschools in the greater San Francisco region. A total of 470 scripted parental telephone calls were successfully completed during the study period. Six major themes affecting glasses compliance in this group were identified including: (1) awareness of need and noted visual improvement; (2) continuous efforts to improve compliance by working with parent; (3) collaborative efforts between home and school such as parent-teacher encouragement; (4) child comfort and eyewear preferences; (5) the importance of two functional pairs of eyewear to achieve full-time wear; and (6) coordination of care offered by the SWTL program. This study offers insight into factors contributing to child eyewear compliance during critical years of vision development. These findings offer lessons to improve compliance and identify a need to adjust California's current policies on vision coverage for children.