Impact of Electronic Devices on Myopia Development and Progression

Impact of School Curriculum Engaging Electronic Devices on Myopia Development and Progression in Primary Schoolchildren

The aim of the stuy is to investigate the effects of the adoption of a curriculum with electronic devices for teaching materials and textbooks in Hong Kong schoolchildren on their changes in refractive error and visual function.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Myopia

Detailed Description

With the blooming of information technology and electronic engineering in recent years, e-books or tablet computers have been introduced at some local primary and secondary schools and have been provided for their students during studying at school and at home. Parents and teachers' utmost concern are adverse effects on eye-sight of children, especially the higher progression rate in myopia and the visual discomfort which may be caused by the e-book technology.

This is a prospective cohort study to determine if implementation of electronic devices for teaching promotes myopia development and progression and affects visual function in primary schoolchildren.

The schools will introduce e-books to their students in some classes. Signed informed consent letters from parents will be obtained prior to subject recruitment and data collection. Eye examination and data collection will be conducted in primary school campus. The children from two local primary schools in same grade will be assigned into two groups by their schools. One group will use e-books (e-book group) to study course materials assigned by their teachers whereas another group will use ordinary textbooks (control group). Their refractive errors, axial length (AXL) and binocular functions will be measured and monitored at six-month intervals for a maximum of 2 years.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 201

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Hong Kong, China
    • School of Optometry

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 10 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Primary schoolchildren in Hong Kong

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Chinese
• study local primary schools

Exclusion Criteria:

• with any ocular diseases and binocular anomalies might affect visual functions or refractive development
• with history of eye surgery
• have undertaken any kind of myopia control treatment, such as bifocal lenses, orth-K, eyedrops (e.g. atropine)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
e-book; study the course materials by using e-book

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in refractive errors	cycloplegic autorefraction	2 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
changes in axial length	measured by the Zeiss IOLMaster after cycloplegia	2 years
Keratometric changes		2 years

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Phoria at distance and near	Howell phoria cards	every 6-month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Collaborators: Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Carly SY Lam, Professor, School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 26, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 26, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): May 29, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): June 22, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 21, 2016
• Last Verified: June 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Eye Diseases; Refractive Errors; Myopia
• Other Study ID Numbers: TWGHs; TWGHs2013 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Tung Wah Group of Hospitals)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO