Ocular Chemical Injuries in Western Saudi Arabia: A Study of the Public's Level of Knowledge and Experience

Background: Chemical burns are potentially blinding eye injuries and are serious ocular emergencies that necessitate prompt evaluation and treatment. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and experience of the current practice of ocular chemical injuries among the general population in western Saudi Arabia. Methods: An electronic self-administrated structured survey was distributed among citizens using social media channels in November 2022. Results: This survey includes 929 participants from western Saudi Arabia. Most of the participants were more than 20 years old (82.7%), while females represented 82.7%. Most participants reported an inadequate level of awareness about previous hearing of ocular chemical injury terms compared with their level of knowledge, in which the majority (56.62%) showed a good level of understanding. Female participants, participants 20 years old or older, and Saudis corresponded significantly with a good level of knowledge (p-values <0.001, <0.00, and 0.025, respectively). Conclusion: This study showed a fair level of knowledge compared to awareness, which can be improved by further national studies in the Saudi region. We recommend expanding the studies’ findings and developing suitable interventions, like health awareness campaigns about ocular chemical damage and prompt corrective measures.