Assessment of the Level of Knowledge and Awareness of the Risk of Chronic Use of Steroids in Causing Cataracts Among the General Population in the Western Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA): A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Cataracts consequence blindness to burden and impose health and economic burdens on communities. Steroid-induced cataracts have scarcely been highlighted in previous literature, creating a demand for reinvestigating this issue among the general population of western Saudi Arabia.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 using an online survey distributed among the target participants via social media platforms. The data were gathered and statistically analyzed using IBM Corp. Released 2015. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. software.

RESULTS: Overall, 866 respondents (males = 42.5%, females = 57.5%) were enrolled in this survey (mean age = 28.08, SD = 13). The participants' correct responses to questions about steroid-induced cataracts showed inadequate representation (below 50%). Additionally, most of the participants (94.23%) had a poor understanding of steroid-induced cataracts.

CONCLUSION: The participants' level of understanding of the risk factors associated with chronic steroid usage and its impact on cataracts was inadequate.