Awareness and Knowledge of Glaucoma Among Secondary School Teachers in Onitsha Nigeria

Background: Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy that causes irreversible blindness. Early detection and appropriate treatment help slow or stop the damage from glaucoma. The aim of this study is to determine glaucoma awareness and knowledge among secondary school teachers in Onitsha Nigeria. Method: Three secondary schools in Onitsha North Local Government Area were randomly selected. All the teachers in the selected schools, responded to a self -administered questionnaire on glaucoma awareness and knowledge. Results: One hundred and seventy-one teachers, made up of 158(92.4%) females and 13(7.6%) males with a mean age of 45.52±10.3 and age range of 20 to 72 years participated in the study. Glaucoma awareness in this study was 81.3%, with 14.7% having a correct knowledge of the disease. The major source of information on glaucoma was radio/television 44(31.2%). While 80(46.8%) participants had no knowledge of glaucoma treatment, 34(19.9%) felt that glaucoma had no treatment. Treatment options known by the participants included eye drops, incisional and laser surgeries. Conclusion: Despite being highly educated, the glaucoma knowledge among teachers in this cohort was poor. Regular eye health education is recommended to improve awareness and knowledge of glaucoma, and also allow persons to present themselves voluntarily for screening.