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Myopia, contact lens use and self‐esteem
Author(s) -
Dias Lynette,
Manny Ruth E,
Weissberg Erik,
Fern Karen D
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
ophthalmic and physiological optics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.147
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1475-1313
pISSN - 0275-5408
DOI - 10.1111/opo.12080
Subject(s) - contact lens , optometry , lens (geology) , self esteem , psychology , optics , medicine , ophthalmology , developmental psychology , physics
Abstract Purpose To evaluate whether contact lens ( CL ) use was associated with self‐esteem in myopic children originally enrolled in the C orrection of M yopia E valuation T rial ( COMET ), that after 5 years continued as an observational study of myopia progression with CL use permitted. Methods Usable data at the 6‐year visit, one year after CL use was allowed ( n = 423/469, age 12–17 years), included questions on CL use, refractive error measurements and self‐reported self‐esteem in several areas (scholastic/athletic competence, physical appearance, social acceptance, behavioural conduct and global self‐worth). Self‐esteem, scored from 1 (low) to 4 (high), was measured by the S elf‐ P erception P rofile for C hildren in participants under 14 years or the S elf‐ P erception P rofile for A dolescents, in those 14 years and older. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between self‐esteem and relevant factors identified by univariate analyses (e.g., CL use, gender, ethnicity), while adjusting for baseline self‐esteem prior to CL use. Results Mean (± S.D. ) self‐esteem scores at the 6‐year visit (mean age = 15.3 ± 1.3 years; mean refractive error = −4.6 ± 1.5 D) ranged from 2.74 (± 0.76) on athletic competence to 3.33 (± 0.53) on global self‐worth. CL wearers ( n = 224) compared to eyeglass wearers ( n = 199) were more likely to be female ( p < 0.0001). Those who chose to wear CL s had higher social acceptance, athletic competence and behavioural conduct scores ( p < 0.05) at baseline compared to eyeglass users. CL users continued to report higher social acceptance scores at the 6‐year visit ( p = 0.03), after adjusting for baseline scores and other covariates. Ethnicity was also independently associated with social acceptance in the multivariable analyses ( p = 0.011); A frican‐ A mericans had higher scores than A sians, W hites and H ispanics. Age and refractive error were not associated with self‐esteem or CL use. Conclusions COMET participants who chose to wear CL s after 5 years of eyeglass use had higher self‐esteem compared to those who remained in glasses both preceding and following CL use. This suggests that self‐esteem may influence the decision to wear CL s and that CL s in turn are associated with higher self‐esteem in individuals most likely to wear them.