Comparative Knowledge and Behavior of Contact Lens Care between Medical and Non-Medical Students.

OBJECTIVE

To compare knowledge and behavior of contact lens care between medical and non-medical students.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Cross sectional study. Participants consisted of 200 medical students (M) and 200 non-medical students (N) who wore contact lenses within the recent one year. A structured questionnaire was filled in by subjects.

RESULTS

Approximately 50% of participants had been contact lens wearers for less than one year The purposes ofwearing lenses included vision correction (73.6%) and cosmetic (26.4%). Non-medical students wore color lenses significantly more than medical students. Non-medical students bought lenses from internet and markets significantly more than medical students did. For the knowledge component, the contact lens-related complications which participants can name were significantly different in both groups including allergic conjunctivitis (M: 73.2%, N: 61.3%), corneal abrasion (M: 58%, N: 36.7%), corneal ulcer (M: 61.6%, N: 45.7%), and corneal neovascularization (M: 29.8%, N: 18%). The behavior that participants had differed significantly in both groups were included rinsing lenses with tap water (M: 19.7%, N: 29.8%), and washing hands before handling lenses (M: 82.7%, N: 71%). The five common improper behaviors of lens care were similar in both groups and included wearing lenses longer than recommended, not changing lens storage solution daily, swimming while wearing lenses, using tap waterfor rising lenses and not washing hands before handling lenses.

CONCLUSION

Medical students had better knowledge and behavior of contact lens care than non-medical students. However, both groups ofstudents still lacked adequate knowledge and were non-compliant with contact lens care instruction.