Department of Optometry and Vision Science, King Saud University, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
School of Medicine, Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism Translational Research Unit, Macarthur Clinical School, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.
Clin Exp Optom. 2020 Mar;103(2):184-191. doi: 10.1111/cxo.12919. Epub 2019 May 21.
To assess the general knowledge and attitude of refractive error correction methods among female Saudi university students.
One thousand, one hundred and sixty-five female university students, between 17 and 32 years of age were randomly interviewed using self-administered questionnaires with open and closed-ended questions. The questions collected information on demographics (gender, age, educational status, college of study, and occupation), addressed general knowledge/perception of the difference between the professions of ophthalmology and optometry, and attitudes toward spectacle, contact lens (CL) usage, including coloured prescription CLs, and refractive surgery for correcting refractive errors.
The response rate was 90 per cent (1,052/1,165). Fifty-two per cent had never had an eye examination and only 28 per cent correctly identified the difference between an 'ophthalmologist' and 'optometrist'. Eighty-one per cent knew that CLs instead of spectacles (81.8 per cent), and coloured CLs (89.7 per cent) can be used for correcting refractive errors. Concerning refractive surgery, although a majority (90 per cent) knew that the technique corrects refractive error and reduces dependency on spectacles/CLs, only five per cent had experienced refractive surgery. Approximately, 46 per cent and 47 per cent used spectacles and CLs, respectively, and while the optometrist was the main source of CL prescriptions (41 per cent), most people visited the ophthalmologist for their eye examination (68 per cent). Surprisingly, 52 per cent had never had an eye examination, or had only had one or two eye examinations (50 per cent) in their lifetime. While 23 per cent of spectacle wearers chose to continue with spectacles at the end of the study, 64 per cent and 12 per cent preferred refractive surgery and CLs, respectively, for refractive correction. Lack of information and fear of complications, but not cost, hindered most people from uptake of CLs and refractive surgery.
The students demonstrated high levels of knowledge and awareness of refractive correction methods, especially for refractive surgery. Although many consulted the optometrist or ophthalmologist for their eye examinations and corrective devices, many remain uncorrected and unaware of the main difference between both professions. The lack of information about correction methods and fear of complications may have affected their interest in uptake of eye services and should be addressed to increase uptake and prevent avoidable vision loss.
评估沙特女大学生对屈光不正矫正方法的一般知识和态度。
采用开放式和封闭式问卷，随机对 1165 名 17 至 32 岁的女大学生进行了 1165 次访谈。问题收集了人口统计学信息（性别、年龄、教育程度、学院和职业），涉及对眼科和视光学专业之间差异的一般知识/认知，以及对眼镜、隐形眼镜（CL）使用的态度，包括彩色处方 CL 和屈光手术矫正屈光不正。
应答率为 90%（1052/1165）。52%的人从未进行过眼部检查，只有 28%的人能正确识别“眼科医生”和“视光师”之间的区别。81%的人知道 CL 而不是眼镜（81.8%）和彩色 CL（89.7%）可用于矫正屈光不正。关于屈光手术，虽然大多数人（90%）知道该技术可以矫正屈光不正并减少对眼镜/CL 的依赖，但只有 5%的人接受过屈光手术。大约 46%和 47%的人分别使用眼镜和 CL，虽然配镜师是 CL 处方的主要来源（41%），但大多数人（68%）是去看眼科医生进行眼部检查。令人惊讶的是，52%的人从未进行过眼部检查，或者一生中只进行过一次或两次眼部检查（50%）。虽然 23%的眼镜佩戴者在研究结束时选择继续戴眼镜，但 64%和 12%的人分别更喜欢屈光手术和 CL 来矫正屈光不正。缺乏信息和对并发症的恐惧，但不是费用，阻碍了大多数人使用 CL 和屈光手术。
学生对屈光矫正方法表现出较高的知识水平和认识，尤其是对屈光手术。尽管许多人去视光师或眼科医生进行眼部检查和矫正设备的检查，但仍有许多人未得到矫正，也不知道这两个专业之间的主要区别。缺乏有关矫正方法的信息和对并发症的恐惧可能影响了他们对眼部服务的接受意愿，应加以解决以提高接受度并防止可避免的视力丧失。
