Free Glasses Distribution to Improve Academic High School Attendance for Myopic Secondary School Children in Rural China

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating whether providing free glasses to rural Chinese middle school children with myopia, along with teacher support to encourage wearing them, can increase the rate of academic high school attendance. This study focuses on children in Year 1 of middle school in Liaoning province, where many children have poor eyesight but lack access to glasses. Previous trials showed that giving free glasses improved academic performance more than factors like parental education or family income. The goal is to provide strong evidence to support national programs for free glasses distribution to help children continue their education. The study randomly assigns 111 middle schools to two groups one where children receive free spectacles fitted to their eyesight and teachers receive conditional cash incentives if students wear the glasses consistently, and a control group where children only receive glasses prescriptions and parents are informed, but free glasses are provided only at the studys end. The intervention group will have glasses from December 2024, with 32 months of follow-up until July 2027. Teacher incentives aim to improve compliance, measured through unannounced checks. Participants will be assessed at multiple points for outcomes including academic high school attendance after three years, spectacle wear compliance after one year, and use of classroom learning aids like blackboards versus textbooks. The study will also evaluate mental health factors such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and behavioral problems at baseline and after one year. Costs of providing glasses and teacher support will be analyzed for cost-effectiveness. Progression of nearsightedness will also be tracked over the study period.

Correcting Myopia Among Secondary School Children to Increase Academic High School Attendance Rates in Rural Communities