Awareness and Knowledge of Poor Vision among Students in Hail University

Abstract

Background: Awareness of common eye diseases particularly impaired vision and their prevention and treatment can play an important role in encouraging people to seek timely eye care and can therefore help in reducing the burden of visual impairment. Objective: This cross sectional observational study was carried out to assess the level of awareness and knowledge about the problem of poor vision among Saudi students in Hail University. Methods: A standardized questionnaire was randomly distributed to students aged 18-24 years of both sexes. A total of 1484 subjects agreed to participate, answered the questionnaire and were involved in the study. Results: Findings showed that1330 students considered poor vision to be a problem. Most of them considered elders the most susceptible age group followed by teenagers. More than half of the students did not know which gender is more affected by poor vision. More than one-third (37.5%) of them considered poor vision as a genetic disorder. Others reported errors of refraction, cataract and senility (10.6%, 8.4% and 6.55%respectively). However, 28.3% of the students did not know exactly the predisposing causes of poor vision. Two-thirds of the study population thought that poor vision could be prevented. Regular periodic examination of the eyes and prevention of the predisposing factors were recommended (31.3% and 32.7% respectively) as the best methods to prevent poor vision. There was significant association between the level of awareness and knowledge of the students about poor vision and the gender, type and level of education. Conclusion: The detected levels of knowledge is still not the optimum especially among female students, non-scientific colleges and in the earlier levels of university education. This emphasizes the need to involve such students in a proper eye health education program. This will help increasing the awareness of the community at large.