Decision Behavior and Influential Factors of Spectacle Prescription for Schoolchildren in Taiwan

PURPOSE: The prevalence of children myopia in Taiwan is among the highest in the world. The study aimed to understand the status of the final prescription of the spectacle prescribed by the Taiwan optometrists when they conducted the visual inspection of elementary school, middle school and high school students, and to evaluate the influencing factors of their decision-making behavior. METHODS: Among the attendants of the continuing education course activities held by optometrist associations in Taiwan, an anonymous questionnaire survey was given on the spot to optometrists who have passed the national examination. This study received 442 questionnaire surveys, including 174 optometrists and 268 assistant optometrists. The data were analyzed by using chi-square test in IBM SPSS. RESULTS: There are statistically significant differences in the decision-making of spectacle prescription for myopia of −1.00D~−1.50D and −2.25D~−2.50D in the primary school stage between optometrists and assistant optometrists. There are also significant differences for myopia of −2.25D and above in the middle school students. By the time of high school, there are significant differences for myopia from −0.75D to −3.25D and above. The higher the grade, the greater the difference in the final prescription of the spectacles given. As for the judgment factors of the final prescription, only children among elementary school and junior high school show a statistically significant difference in professional judgment between optometrists and assistant optometrists. There is no significant difference in the judgment factors for high school children. Depending on the educational level of optometrists and assistant optometrists and their distribution area, the prescription decisions are also different. CONCLUSION: The optometrists prefer to prescribe full correction for schoolchildren, while the assistant optometrists mostly prescribe under-correction in prescriptions for low-degree myopia and lower grades. Further investigation is needed to study its impact on children’s visual health.