Researchers at the School of Optometry and Vision Science (SOVS) at the University of Auckland are conducting a study to quantify the level of refractive error among New Zealand’s seven- and 12-year-olds. The Health Research Council-backed research is being conducted in two parts: the initial data collection, involving seven-year-olds and led by Dr Rebecca Findlay and PhD student Amelia Hardcastle, has been completed and is undergoing analysis.

The team conducted full eye examinations on 1,200 students from a nationally representative selection of 80 primary schools in Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki and the West Coast. They also enquired about whether the students were already receiving care, or if there was any unmet need for treatment and follow-up care. The team then followed up six months post-examination to ensure the students had been able to access what was recommended to them.

The second part of the study involving 12-year-olds, led by Associate Professor Joanna Black, Dr Andrew Collins and PhD student Vicky Wang, started at the end of 2025 and involves more than 750 students from intermediate or combined primary-secondary schools in Auckland, Taranaki, Canterbury and Southland.

There is also a qualitative part of the study, which includes talking to education and health professionals, family and whānau in different regions about how they access eye healthcare and any barriers they experience, A/Prof Black said.

Importantly, looking at these two cohorts will allow the team to understand how the current school screening (the B4 School Check and year 7 screening) works, she said. “If kids have access to that, what were the results and how do they link to what we're finding in these cohorts? If we can cross-reference, we may be able to draw some conclusions about how well the current screening systems are working. Do they require additional steps? What are the overall benefits?

“Ultimately, when we're discussing changes to policy or increased funding for spectacles, if you don't know the numbers it's really hard to make the case,” A/Prof Black concluded.

The goal is to have the analysis and write-up completed by the end of this year. “While we haven't got to the stage where we can share results, we have begun analysis and we're seeing some interesting patterns in the data,” she said.