. 2023 Aug 18;23:1575. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16484-z

Table 3.

Description of the study characteristics, population, key findings, study limitations, strengths and recommendations for studies reporting the quality of life impact of spectacle correction (n = 1)

Authors/ year of publication/ Study design	Population (age range or grade level) at study enrolment/ Geographic Location/Country Profile/Study setting	Intervention/Type of refractive error corrected	Comparison	Tools and methods used	OUTCOME/KEY FINDINGS	Sampling Method	Sample Size	Limitations	Strengths	Recommendations
Zhou et al. / (2016) / RCT	12–15 years old / China / LMIC/ Rural	Spectacle correction/ Myopia	Differing spectacle prescriptions determined by an optometrist, self-refraction, rural refractionist and ready-made spectacles	– National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life-42 (NEI-RQL-42) questionnaire	The National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life questionnaire assessing the visual function-related quality of life showed increases in scores from the baseline assessment of: – 2.32 [95% CI (0.37, 4.27) p = 0.020] in the group tested by an optometrist – 4.65 [95% CI (2.45, 6.86) p < 0.001] in the group receiving ready-made spectacles – 4.13 [95% CI (2.04, 6.23) p < 0.001] in the group tested by a rural refractionist – 3.14 [95% CI (1.05, 5.23) p = 0.004] in the self-refraction group Irrespective of the type of spectacles or method of correction, all findings reveal an increase in quality-of-life scores with correction	Randomisation of subjects to TG (3 groups) and CG	542	– The enrolled schools were selected using non-random sampling – All schools were drawn from a single region in southern China, thereby limiting the application of findings from the study to other contexts	– The study followed a randomised controlled design – The study had a high follow-up rate	– Further research is needed to assess the acceptability of adjustable spectacles for actual wear by adults and children

Authors/ year of publication/ Study design

Population (age range or grade level) at study enrolment/ Geographic Location/Country Profile/Study setting

Intervention/Type of refractive error corrected

Comparison

Tools and methods used

OUTCOME/KEY FINDINGS

Sampling Method

Sample Size

Limitations

Strengths

Recommendations

Zhou et al. / (2016) / RCT

12–15 years old / China / LMIC/ Rural

Spectacle correction/ Myopia

Differing spectacle prescriptions determined by an optometrist, self-refraction, rural refractionist and ready-made spectacles

– National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life-42 (NEI-RQL-42) questionnaire

The National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life questionnaire assessing the visual function-related quality of life showed increases in scores from the baseline assessment of: – 2.32 [95% CI (0.37, 4.27) p = 0.020] in the group tested by an optometrist – 4.65 [95% CI (2.45, 6.86) p < 0.001] in the group receiving ready-made spectacles – 4.13 [95% CI (2.04, 6.23) p < 0.001] in the group tested by a rural refractionist

– 3.14 [95% CI (1.05, 5.23) p = 0.004] in the self-refraction group Irrespective of the type of spectacles or method of correction, all findings reveal an increase in quality-of-life scores with correction

Randomisation of subjects to TG (3 groups) and CG

542

– The enrolled schools were selected using non-random sampling – All schools were drawn from a single region in southern China, thereby limiting the application of findings from the study to other contexts

– The study followed a randomised controlled design – The study had a high follow-up rate

– Further research is needed to assess the acceptability of adjustable spectacles for actual wear by adults and children

RCT Randomised control trial, RE Refractive error, LMIC Low to Middle Income Country, TG Treatment group, CG Control group, CI Confidence Interval