Community-level awareness of proper immediate steps regarding ocular chemical injury in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Although the eyes represent 0.1% of the total human body, they are exposed to many injuries, some of which may cause blindness. Ocular chemical injury is a true ocular emergency requiring immediate assessment and initiation of treatment. The present study targeted the general population in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia, to evaluate knowledge of chemical injuries to the eye and the immediate management of the injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional design was employed using a convenience sample of 536 residents of the Jazan region who completed an online, self-administered, anonymous, and pre-validated questionnaire. RESULTS: Most of the respondents were 18–30 years of age (66.0%), and 274 (51.1%) were female. Respondents had an average score of 7.70 (standard deviation: 1.78) out of a total score of 16, indicating an overall lack of knowledge of ocular chemical burns. The majority (95.1%) agreed that ocular complications could result from ocular chemical injury. Regarding the first action in ocular chemical injuries, 317 (59.1%) thought that eye irrigation with a large amount of water, 155 (28.9%) chose to go to the emergency department, 40 (7.5%) chose irrigation of the eye with a small amount of water, 13 (2.4%) chose using eye drops, and 11 (2.1%) chose to cover the eye. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of ocular chemical burns is lacking in the general population of the Jazan region. There are several knowledge gaps, some of which are serious, necessitating rigorous efforts to correct them through educational programs at the community level.