New\nresearch, led by Queen\u2019s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, show\nthat wearing self-adjusting for children living in remote and less\ndeveloped \u00e1reas can improve their vision and educational\nopportunities. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Poor\neyesight and lack of quality education are intrinsically linked. In\nless developed and remote parts of the world, where the access to\nhealth professionals is limited, children who do not wear the glasses\nthey need are exposed to a greater risk of falling behind in\neducation due to lack of vision. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This\nresearch is based on an ongoing service program conducted by Orbis\nInternational and the Zhongshan Ophtalmic Center (ZOC) in Guanzhou,\nChina. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professor\nNathan Congdon of the Queen\u2019s University Center for Publich Health\nin Belfast and Orbis International Research Director and Visiting\nProfessor at ZOC explains that \u201calthough chinese children have one\nof the highest myopia rates in the world, only 15-20% of children who\nneed glasses and live in rural areas have them\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nresearch, published in Ophthalmology, involved myopic children aged\n11 to 16 who live in rural areas of southern China\u2019s Guanddong\nprovince. The children were given standard prescription glasses or\nself-adjusting glasses s\u00f3 they could perform \u201cself-refraction\u201d,\noptimizing their own eyesight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researchers\nhave found that self-adjusting glasses are a good option for this\nneed. Nathan Congdon concluded: \u201cthis research provides additional\nsupport for the idea that self-refraction can contribute to\nchildren\u2019s eyesight health in this situation. We found out that\nself-adjusting glasses offer essentially the same standard as\nprescribed glasses in terms of accuracy and vision\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n