ArticleJMIR mHealth and uHealth2024
Assessment of Eye Care Apps for Children and Adolescents Based on the Mobile App Rating Scale: Content Analysis and Quality Assessment.
Article in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Chinese Mobile Health Apps for Preventing and Managing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Quality Assessment and Content Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Real-world evidence on childhood refractive errors in a developed coastal region of China: a multi-center analysis of 4.47 million school-based screening encounters in Southern Fujian.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Design, implementation, and evaluation of web-based medication management application for polypharmacy adolescents: a mixed methods study.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Effects of genetic factors and visual behaviors on interventions for myopia prevention and control in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Translational pediatrics · 2025Article
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5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundIn China, the current situation of myopia among children and adolescents is very serious. Prevention and control of myopia are inhibited by the lack of medical resources and the low awareness about eye care. Nevertheless, mobile apps provide an effective means to solve these problems. Since the health app market in China is still immature, it has become particularly important to conduct a study to assess the quality of eye-care apps to facilitate the development of better eye-care service strategies.
objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the quality, functionality, medical evidence, and professional background of eye-care apps targeting children and adolescents in the Chinese app stores.
methodsA systematic search on iOS and Android app stores was performed to identify eye-care apps for children and adolescents. The general characteristics, development context, and functional features of the apps were described. Quality assessment of the apps was completed by 2 independent researchers using the Mobile App Rating Scale.
resultsThis study included 29 apps, of which 17 (59%) were developed by commercial organizations and 12 (41%) had a design with relevant scientific basis. The main built-in functions of these apps include self-testing (18/29, 62%), eye exercises (16/29, 55%), and eye-care education (16/29, 55%). The mean overall quality of eye-care apps was 3.49 (SD 0.33), with a score ranging from 2.89 to 4.39. The overall Mobile App Rating Scale score exhibited a significant positive correlation with the subscale scores (r=0.81-0.91; P<.001). In addition, although most apps provided basic eye-care features, there are some deficiencies. For example, only a few apps were developed with the participation of medical organizations or professional ophthalmologists, and most of the apps were updated infrequently, failing to provide the latest eye-care information and technology in a timely manner.
conclusionsIn general, the quality of eye-care apps for children and teenagers in Chinese app stores is good. These apps fulfill users' needs for eye-care services to a certain extent, but they still suffer from insufficient medical background, low user engagement, and untimely updates. In order to further improve the effectiveness of eye-care apps, cooperation with medical institutions and professional ophthalmologists should be strengthened to enhance the scientific and authoritative nature of the apps. At the same time, interactive features and regular updates should be added to enhance user participation and the continuity of the apps. This study provides a reference for future development or improvement of eye-care apps, which can help promote myopia prevention and control.
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