A Survey Based Study on Awareness of Eye Diseases among the population of Bangladesh

Abstract

Awareness of common eye diseases and their 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. Some studies on awareness of eye diseases in the developed world have been carried out but such information is not sufficient and available for the Bangladeshi population, most in rural and slum population of Bangladesh. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of awareness of eye diseases in the population of Bangladesh in different location. A total of 750 people were taken under this study and a structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Among the total population 37% were female and 63% were male. From the study it was found that only 50% of the populations were aware of Glaucoma and only 30% had the knowledge about Glaucoma. This study shows that 52% of the populations were aware of Cataract and 81% people had the knowledge that risk of Cataract increases by getting older. Among the population 62% people knew the common cause of night blindness, though majority of them were urban people. From this study it was found that only 40% of the population knows that due to diabetes eye can affected. Only 23% people were concern about their family’s present eye health condition and that is relatively poor. Among the population only 32% people wear sunglass for the protection of their eye. Frequency of taking nutritional food (colorful fruit, small fish, vegetables, fresh meat) for optimum eye health was very poor, only 21% take these foods daily. From this study we can see that only 36% people maintain their BP and obesity. According to this study it is very clear that awareness of eye diseases among the population of Bangladesh is not sufficient and they have not much knowledge of eye diseases.