Potential Barriers To Filling A Pediatric (K-12) Eyeglass Prescription Following An Eye Examination Across Two Separate Clinics.

Background : This pilot study aims to evaluate potential barriers in filling a pediatric eyeglass prescription following an eye examination based on data from clinics: 1) one clinic with a dispensary and 2) a school-based clinic without a dispensary. With the rise of school-based eye clinics combined with the importance that vision has on the learning process, it is important to understand what influences the filling/dispensing of an eyeglass prescription have on a child's vision and learning. Methods: Chi square analyses was conducted to analyze data from 35 subjects (grades K-12) who were prescribed a spectacle prescription between February and December 2010 in one of two clinics. Data was collected through the University Eye Center's electronic billing system, patient records and a corresponding telephone survey. Results: The statistically noteworthy differences between the 2 subject groups were shown in the results of the chi square analysis of the timing in which the subjects filled their prescription, the type of lunch aid they received, their race and ethnicity as well as their insurance status. Analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the UEC and SPEC clinics when comparing race (x=9.767, p=0.021), showing a greater frequency of minorities at the SPEC clinic versus the UEC clinic. The inferential statistics also showed the difference with respect to
lunches (x=8.080, p=0.004) confirming the greater number of subjects receiving free lunch in the SPEC as compared to UEC group. Conclusions: Since low income children are more likely to have uncorrected refractive error and most school-based eye care models will presumably be located within schools which are populated by low income students, it is important that school-based eye clinics strive to avoid undue delays in the provision ofvision correction. The lack of an on-site dispensary, among other factors impacts a parents' decision to fill their children's prescription in a timely fashion.