ABSTRACT
Background: India needs around 2,77,000 donations annually to perform 1,00,000 corneal transplants. To enhance the procurement of corneal donations further, raising the level of public education on eye donation was the most important first step. The Govt. of India under the 11th 5-year plan envisages eliminating avoidable blindness completely by 2020. The aim and objective of the study was to compare the awareness of eye donation and willingness to donate eyes among medical and paramedical students.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out among 400 final year MBBS students and interns and also among the final year B.Sc. nursing students and at Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar from August 2018 to September 2018.Results: The study participants were in the age group of 18-25 years. While 100% medical students had heard about organ donation, 85.5% of paramedical students heard about organ donation. Positive opinion regarding donation of eye post death was got from all the medical students as against 85% of paramedical students. More than 1/3rd of the study participants in both the groups were willing to donate eyes and know more regarding the same and also had a fair idea regarding shortage of donors in India.Conclusions: Awareness of eye donation is better in medical students compared to paramedical students, preferably due to the exposure and study curriculum. Most of the students in both groups were inclined to pledge for eye donation. Awareness regarding eye donation will form the prime base for the elimination of avoidable blindness in India.
ABSTRACT
Background: One of the most important public health issue for developing nations in the world with special reference to India is preventive blindness. In the world, 36 million people are blind and 217 million people are with moderate or severe distance vision impairment. The aim and objectives of the study were a qualitative survey to get an initial picture of rural residents knowledge of the prevalent eye disease; serve as an initial assessment of patient’s baseline knowledge of eye conditions and possible treatment methods to aid in the future development of educational outreach initiatives and studies.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in the rural areas of Jajpur, Nayagarh, Puri and Cuttack district of Odisha during preventive eye screening camps. The study was carried over 6 months from Jan to July 2018. The sample size was calculated to be 914 and the study subjects were all aged 40 years and above comprising of 64.7% male and 35.3% female.Results: In this study we found out that 60.18% reported previous eye doctor visits, 24.08% reported using eye drops prescribed by a non-doctor, while 60.18% of the non-doctor visitors reported not knowing that a doctor should prescribe eye drops. While 76.69% had little or no awareness regarding glaucoma, 51.87% had a fair idea regarding cataract surgery.Conclusions: The increase in patient awareness of prevalent eye diseases and treatments could lead to an increase in patient acceptance regarding the importance of routine eye examinations for proper identification and treatment of various eye conditions.