Volume 27, Issue 140, October 2023

Knowledge and awareness of glaucoma in Hail city, KSA

Atheer Al-huthaili¹, Shog Alahmed¹, Yousef Bakrshoom¹, Reema Alanazi¹, Abdulmajeed Alsadun¹, Layan Alshammari^2♦, Abrar Ali³

¹Medical Student, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
²Medical Intern, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
³Professor of Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Medical Intern, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Background: Glaucoma is a severe condition that damages the optic nerve permanently, leading to vision loss and blindness if not treated. It’s a major cause of irreversible blindness across the globe. The disease is complex and has many factors that contribute to its development, including genetics and environment. Therefore, any efforts to improve outcomes for individuals with glaucoma must prioritize raising awareness among the public, and this can lead to increased knowledge and understanding of the disease, which could result in positive behavior changes. Methodology: A descriptive hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2022 to August 2022 among the Hail population regarding knowledge and awareness of glaucoma. Result: 377 participants who met the eligibility criteria and completed the study questionnaire. The average age of the participants was 31.5 ± 14.6 years, ranging from 18 to over 70 years. 79% of participants who knew that early detection helps avoid glaucoma complications. When it comes to symptoms, the most reported were headaches and blurred vision (61.3%), pain in the eye (56.2%), redness in the eye (48.8%), and nausea and vomiting (34.5%). Interestingly, 26.5% mentioned that glaucoma can be asymptomatic. Out of 217 people, 57.6% know that neglecting glaucoma can lead to a gradual and irreversible loss of vision as the main complication. Conclusion: Overall knowledge and awareness regarding glaucoma among study participants in Saudi Arabia. Exact 156 (41.4%) had a good understanding and awareness of glaucoma, while 221 (58.6%) needed a better knowledge level.

Keywords: Glaucoma, awareness, knowledge, Hail, KSA

Medical Science, 2023, 27, e364ms3190

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v27i140.e364ms3190

Published: 11 October 2023