Glaucoma Awareness and Self-Care Practices among the Health Professionals in a Medical College Hospital

Background: Awareness and self-care practices concerning glaucoma, the silent thief of sight, is poor. This study was conducted to assess the same among health professionals in a medical college. Materials and Methods: Institutional Ethics Committee Clearance was obtained and a descriptive semi-structured-questionnairebased study was conducted. Informed written consent was taken from 114 (convenience sampling) health professionals (doctors/paramedicals) and a questionnaire were administered. Participants were questioned about the awareness of glaucoma, what are the features of glaucoma etc. Non-medical hospital workers were excluded. Data was analysed using Microsoft excel, descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Results: Respondents included clinicians, non-cliniciandoctors and paramedicals (36: 30: 48) {mean age: 37 years, males: females:: 58: 56}. Glaucoma awareness was statistically similar in the three study groups: high IOP (82.4%, p=0.55); optic nerve damage (32.4%, p=0.79); normal/low IOP (38.6%, p=0.2); irreversible blindness (47.1%, p=0.29); risk factors like corticosteroids (57%, p=0.11), family history of glaucoma (74.5%, p=0.17) and diabetes (77.1%, p=0.84). Over 13% thought that screening is done after 60 years. Few had undertaken screening for themselves (16.60%) and family members (21.05%). Few knew tests (41.2%, p=0.04) and treatment modalities (41.2%, p=0.0516). Conclusion: The study revealed unsatisfactory awareness and self-care practices concerning glaucoma among health professionals including clinicians despite studying ophthalmology, although it is presumed and predicted to be the contrary. This alarming revelation warrants the need for enrichment of glaucoma awareness programs.