Systematic Review on How the Delivery of Vision Care Policies Affects Students’ Academic Performance and Mental Health

Jason Hung

doi:10.5539/ass.v16n7p94

Abstract

This is a systematic review that examines how the delivery of vision care policies, namely (1) vision acuity (VA) testing, (2) subsidized or free spectacles, (3) spectacle prescriptions, (4) vision care education and (5) time spent outdoors and/or away from a variety of near-work activities affect students&rsquo; academic performance and mental health. Relevant literature in both Chinese and non-Chinese contexts is studied. However, existing literature (1) focusing on post-secondary school students and adults, (2) presenting qualitative research, and (3) adopting non-experimental designs is excluded.

Highlights

This is a systematic review that examines how the delivery of vision care policies, namely (1) vision acuity (VA) testing, (2) subsidized or free spectacles, (3) spectacle prescriptions, (4) vision care education and (5) time spent outdoors and/or away from a variety of near-work activities affect students’ academic performance and mental health
A total of 5,736 rural preschool children were assigned to three VA screening groups in a randomized trial carried out in Northwest China in 2015
Results indicated the accuracy of screening by teachers, local optometrists and volunteers was equivalent, though the use of teachers was most cost-effective (Wang, Congdon, Hogg, Zhang, Li, Shi, Jin, He, Wang, Boswell & Iyer, 2019)

Summary

Introduction

This is a systematic review that examines how the delivery of vision care policies, namely (1) vision acuity (VA) testing, (2) subsidized or free spectacles, (3) spectacle prescriptions, (4) vision care education and (5) time spent outdoors and/or away from a variety of near-work activities affect students’ academic performance and mental health. These outcomes echoed findings of Hongyu Guan, Huan Wang, Juerong Huang, Kang Du, Jin Zhao, Matthew Boswell, Yaojiang Shi, Mony Iyer and Scott Rozelle (2018a)’s study, where spectacle uptake rates were higher among rural primary school students who were granted vouchers to acquire free glasses, than those who were only given prescriptions of glasses.

Results

Conclusion