Factors influencing contact lenses uptake among school-going children and teenagers with myopia attending selected eye clinics in Kenya

Objective

Contact lens (CL) use for myopia correction among children and teenagers has become a focal point of global interest. Yet, spectacles remain dominant for vision correction in this age group. This study investigated the factors affecting CL uptake among myopic school-going children and teenagers attending Kenyan eye clinics.

Study Design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

A survey conducted across 13 Kenyan eye clinics, involving myopic participants aged 8–19 years. Data collection employed a mixed-method using validated semi-structured questionnaires that also included a 3-level Likert scale to elicit responses regarding factors that influenced the uptake of CLs. Analysis techniques included descriptive statistics, chi-square, and Cramer's V.

Results

85 participants, with a mean age of 13.4 ± 2.1 years, who were more of females (54.1%) were included in the study. While CL uptake was low (17.6%), spectacles remained the preferred myopia correction method among the participants. Factors favoring CL preference were appropriate visual clarity with CL (59%), enhanced self-esteem and social acceptance (64%). Major barriers to CL uptake were fear of eye injuries (60%), limited CL knowledge (55%), and fewer CL professionals (48%). Eye care professionals were the primary CL information source. A weak association was observed between spectacles’ perceived bulkiness and CL uptake (Cramer's V: 0.223, p = 0.121). However, vision clarity (Cramer's V: 0.387, p = 0.002) and social acceptance (Cramer's V: 0.351, p = 0.005) showed stronger associations with CL uptake in children and teenagers in the study.

Conclusion

While information gaps and limited professional availability hinder CL uptake among Kenyan students, benefits like better vision clarity and improved social acceptance promote their use. Efforts to address information gaps and highlight CL advantages are recommended to foster broader acceptance.