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A new study from TU Dublin is revolutionising the way eye exams are delivered to children in Ireland, with the potential to enhance comfort, speed up clinical processes, and improve early detection of vision problems.
Titled The Child Eye Health Study: A Better Approach to Eye Exams for Children , the research was led by Megan Doyle, Dr Veronica O Dwyer , and Dr Síofra Harrington from the Centre for Eye Research Ireland ( CERI ).
The study examined the current use of cyclopentolate; a commonly used eye drop that temporarily relaxes the eye’s focusing ability during routine children-s eye exams. While effective, cyclopentolate stings and requires a 30-minute wait before accurate prescription testing can begin, making the process stressful for both children and parents, and limiting the number of patients clinics can see in a day.
Researchers explored whether the application of a numbing drop, proxymetacaine, prior to cyclopentolate could reduce discomfort and shorten wait times without compromising test accuracy. The results were significant: accurate prescription measurements typically achieved after 30 minutes could be obtained in just 10 minutes when proxymetacaine was used first.
This simple change could dramatically improve the delivery of eye care in busy clinics, enabling more children to be seen each day and helping reduce backlogs, especially in areas with limited access to paediatric optometry. The reduced discomfort also makes the exam less intimidating, increasing cooperation and making the experience more child friendly. Given that 80% of a child-s learning is visual, the ability to conduct faster, more comfortable eye exams supports earlier intervention and better educational outcomes.
The study not only demonstrates a practical improvement in paediatric eye care but also serves as a model for evidence-based innovations that improve health service delivery and child wellbeing. While the results are promising, further research is encouraged to assess the method-s effectiveness across different ethnic backgrounds.
Read the full Case Study here.
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