Parents’ perception of common childhood eye diseases: a community-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Childhood eye diseases can significantly affect vision. This may have a negative impact on mental development, academic performance, and quality of life when not detected early. Parents are often the first to notice eye problems in their children. However, awareness of common pediatric eye conditions remains variable. This study aimed to assess parents' awareness, attitudes, and practices as regards childhood eye diseases in a local community setting. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among parents of children aged 18 years or younger in a local community setting. A quick response (QR) code was used to distribute a pre-tested questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge of common pediatric eye diseases. Parents' perception of pediatric eye diseases and their management was also evaluated. This was performed via a Likert-scale scoring system, and total knowledge scores were classified at the median into two levels, poor and good. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of King Faisal University, and informed consent was obtained from all participants. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), with chi-square tests and multiple linear regression applied where appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 267 parents were included, of whom 181 (67.8%) were females. Nearly half (46.1%) reported that their child had an existing eye condition, with refractive errors being the most common (49.5%). Awareness was moderate. Overall, 163 participants (61.0%) agreed that wearing glasses before the age of 7 years supports normal visual development, and 167 (62.5%) recognised that early treatment of amblyopia leads to better outcomes. Gaps were also identified among the study population, as 92 (34.5%) correctly defined cataract and 126 (47.2%) believed that occasional eye deviation in young children is normal. As per the participating parents' practice, 178 (66.7%) reported that their child had undergone an eye examination. Among them, 37 (13.9%) had their first examination before one year of age. Moreover, attitudes were generally positive, with 230 (86.1%) agreeing that children should wear glasses if needed and 167 (62.5%) willing to accept surgical intervention. No statistically significant association was found between knowledge levels and any sociodemographic variable (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Parental awareness of childhood eye diseases in this community was variable, with some misconceptions and gaps in preventive practices. Knowledge levels were not associated with the sociodemographic variables assessed. Community-wide health education and school-based screening may help support earlier detection of childhood eye diseases.