Spectacle wear compliance and quality of life among youthful myopes in the Cape Coast metropolis, Ghana: a prospective cohort study

Purpose: To determine the spectacle wear compliance, impact of myopia and its correction on quality of life of a youthful clinical sample. 

Methods: This study was a prospective cohort design at two eyecare facilities in Cape Coast, Ghana. The National Eye Institute 25-Item visual function questionnaire was used to assess Quality of life prior to spectacle dispensing and three months after spectacle use. Also, a compliance information sheet was used to obtain data on compliance level. Demographic data including sex, age, job category and educational level were collected and analysed. 

Results: One hundred and eight (108) participants with myopia were recruited from the study centres, of which 93 (86.11%) were available for follow-up investigations on their compliance level and quality of life after three months post correction. There were 45 (46.67%) males and 63 (58.33%) females. Their ages ranged from 15 to 29 years (mean: 21.59 ± 3.64). Most (N = 83, 89.2%) participants complied with wearing spectacles. The study found a significant improvement in the overall visual quality of life scores and most subscale scores after correction. Occupation category had a significant impact on the change in visual quality of life (p = 0.034), while sex, compliance, and educational level did not show significant interactions (p > 0.05). 

Conclusion: The correction of myopia had a significant improvement on the quality of life among a youthful clinical sample. Also, there was a high spectacle compliance among the participants. Occupation had an association with the quality of life while sex, compliance and educational level had no impact on the quality of life.