Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of awareness of keratoconus among students of Bisha University, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that utilized data from a sample of 402 students of Bisha University in Saudi Arabia. The participants completed the self-administered online questionnaires and ensured anonymity.
Results: Nearly three-quarters (75.1%) of the students demonstrated low awareness while about one-quarter (24.9%) had high knowledge about keratoconus. The majority (60.9%) of the students reported being familiar with keratoconus; with a notable proportion having heard about it from social media sites (34.3%) and doc tors (33.0%). Nearly half (47.0%) of the students knew that keratoconus could lead to myopia and about one third (31.1%) of them were aware that the condition is hereditary. The common risk factors and symptoms reported were eye rubbing (30.3%) and constant change in the size of glasses (27.1%), respectively. The study established a statistically significant association between all the factors including age, sex, college, source of knowledge, and the level of awareness about keratoconus with p-values of

Key words: Awareness, students, Bisha, keratoconus, Saudi Arabia