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¹Pamukkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Göz Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı, Denizli, Yrd. Doç. Dr.
²Pamukkale Üniversitesi Sağlık Hizmetleri Meslek Yüksekokulu Denizli, Öğr. Gör. Hemşire,
³Pamukkale Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Halk Sağlığı Anabilim Dalı, Denizli, Prof. Dr.
⁴Pamukkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Göz Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı, Denizli, Prof. Dr. Purpose: To assess the awareness of glaucoma among glaucoma patients.
Materials and Methods: Seventy-eight patients with primary open-angle glaucoma were administered a questionnaire to assess their awareness of glaucoma. Items included sociodemographics, knowledge about glaucoma and its treatment, compliance with therapy and need for information.
Results: The mean knowledge score was 52.4±18. Half of the patients had a score lower than 50. Ninety-one percent of the patients knew glaucoma could cause blindness, 64.1% stated that it caused visual field defects and 26.9% believed that it was a curable disease. Of 78 patients, 65.4% said that the chance of having glaucoma was higher if a family member had glaucoma, 24.4% were non-compliant with glaucoma treatment and 24.4% did not know their last intraocular pressure measurement. Sixteen percent of patients did not know whether the medications had any side-effects. Males, younger patients and the patients with family history for glaucoma had better scores of knowledge but the difference was not significant. Education and being aware of the names of the medications was significantly associated with knowledge of glaucoma. Location, working status, duration of glaucoma, the level of intraocular pressure, compliance with the treatment and the need for information about glaucoma were not significantly associated with knowledge of glaucoma.
Conclusions: Knowledge about glaucoma is inadequate in glaucoma patients. Increased knowledge may improve awareness of glaucoma but compliance with medication is based on not only knowledge but also behavioral aspects which should also be supported. Keywords : Awareness, compliance, glaucoma