Alamer Sarah S, Alazzam Shujon M, Alanazi Amjad K, Sankari Mohamed A, Sendy Jana S, Badawi Amani E, Allam Khalid, Alkhaldi Saleh A
Department of Medicine, Almaarefa University, Riyadh, SAU.
Department of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, EGY.
Cureus. 2023 Aug 8;15(8):e43110. doi: 10.7759/cureus.43110. eCollection 2023 Aug.
Self-medication is defined as the selection of medicines by individuals to treat self-diagnosed ophthalmic symptoms without consultation of healthcare professionals. Topical steroids can produce severe eye-threatening complications, including the elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) with possible development of glaucoma and infrequent optic nerve damage. In recent times, many over-the-counter (OTC) ophthalmic preparations are possible without a prescription. There are a lot of concerns about the safety of long-term use of nonprescription ophthalmic drugs, which may lead to a variety of serious ocular complications.
To determine the prevalence of self-medication ocular topical steroid practices and associated factors among adult ophthalmic patients attending ophthalmology clinics at King Saud Medical City (KSMC) in Riyadh.
A cross-sectional study targeted adults aged 18 or older who had used topical steroids eye drops. The data were collected through interviews, and an online questionnaire was distributed among patients who attended ophthalmology clinics between December 2022 and February 2023.
From a total of 308 responses, 92 (29.8%) were using ocular topical, 58 (18.8%) with a prescription, five (1.6%) without a prescription, and 29 (9.4%) with and without a prescription, while 216 (70.1%) did not use it. The frequency of using ocular topical steroids without a prescription among participants was 11 (12%) once and 33 (35%) many times. Additionally, 26 (28.3%) were having complications, mostly eye infections (11, 12.4%), glaucoma (8, 9%), and cataracts (6, 6.7%). The reasons for practicing self-medication of steroid eye drops among participants were 14 (15.2%) repeated symptoms, 11 (15.2%) had heard advice from friends, and 11 (15.2%) think they had enough knowledge.
The study reported the use of self-medication with steroids in ophthalmology clinics at KSMC, even though detecting a high level of perception and acceptable practices among participants. This practice is mainly due to participants having repeated symptoms and thinking they have enough knowledge. Educating the patients would help in reducing the incidence of self-medication steroid eye drops and its associated complications.
自我药疗是指个人在未咨询医疗保健专业人员的情况下，自行选择药物来治疗自我诊断的眼部症状。局部用类固醇可产生严重的威胁视力的并发症，包括眼压升高，可能发展为青光眼以及罕见的视神经损伤。近年来，许多非处方（OTC）眼科制剂无需处方即可获得。人们对长期使用非处方眼科药物的安全性存在诸多担忧，这可能导致各种严重的眼部并发症。
确定利雅得沙特国王医疗城（KSMC）眼科诊所成年眼科患者中自我药疗使用眼部局部类固醇的情况及相关因素。
一项横断面研究针对18岁及以上使用过局部类固醇眼药水的成年人。数据通过访谈收集，并在2022年12月至2023年2月期间到眼科诊所就诊的患者中发放在线问卷。
在总共308份回复中，92人（29.8%）正在使用眼部局部用药，58人（18.8%）有处方，5人（1.6%）无处方，29人（9.4%）既有处方又有无处方的情况，而216人（70.1%）未使用。参与者中无处方使用眼部局部类固醇的频率为11人（12%）使用过一次，33人（35%）多次使用。此外，26人（28.3%）出现并发症，主要是眼部感染（11人，12.4%）、青光眼（8人，9%）和白内障（6人，6.7%）。参与者自我药疗使用类固醇眼药水的原因是14人（15.2%）症状反复，11人（15.2%）听朋友建议，11人（15.2%）认为自己有足够知识。
该研究报告了在KSMC眼科诊所存在自我药疗使用类固醇的情况，尽管参与者中有较高的认知水平和可接受的做法。这种做法主要是由于参与者症状反复且认为自己有足够知识。对患者进行教育将有助于降低自我药疗使用类固醇眼药水及其相关并发症的发生率。
