Community-Level Awareness of Proper Immediate Steps for Ocular Chemical Injury in Saudi Arabia

Background: The human eyes are the most vital sensory organ. Eye injury is the main factor leading to monocular blindness. There is a lack of understanding in the Saudi community regarding the appropriate response to a chemical injury to the eyes. To provide accurate and clear medical information about ocular chemical damage, it is crucial to identify areas where healthcare professionals fall short. To address the gaps in critical knowledge, this study aimed to focus on the Saudi Arabian community to determine if healthcare professionals have fulfilled their responsibility as health promoters in providing education on eye emergencies. We examined the immediate reaction of the study participants to evaluate the community's awareness of chemical eye injuries and immediate management strategies. Objectives: This study aimed to assess and evaluate the general population's knowledge and awareness of immediate management steps following an ocular chemical injury in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional design was employed. A random sampling method was used to select 2,295 individuals from the Saudi community. Participants completed an electronic closed-ended, pre-validated, anonymous, and self-administered questionnaire. Results: The majority of the respondents were females (71.6%) and Saudis (94.5%) aged 18 to 30 years (46.6%). The majority of the respondents correctly stated that eye injuries could cause complications (89.6%) and that common substances that could result in eye injuries are chloride and detergents (93.3%) and battery materials (73.1%). Furthermore, complications after eye injuries could include blindness (80.6%), perforation (44.5%), and scar formation (38.1%). A substantial proportion of the respondents indicated that water should be used to treat chemical injuries due to acidic and alkaline substances (68.1%). However, only a small proportion of the respondents correctly answered that the eyes should be washed for 30 minutes or more after an ocular injury (7.9%). Conclusions: The overall knowledge levels on injury mechanisms and complications were generally high with a lack of knowledge regarding immediate management for injuries. Therefore, there is a need for targeted educational interventions and training programs to enhance the general public’s understanding of immediate management strategies for chemical eye injuries.