The Impact of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Eyes and the Relevant Protective Measures: Knowledge and Awareness

UV radiation is a known risk factor for various eye conditions, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and pterygium. These conditions can lead to vision impairment and even blindness if not properly addressed. To evaluate the level of awareness and knowledge of the Saudi population regarding the effects of UV radiation on the eyes. To assess the current protective practices that individuals in Saudi Arabia use to prevent UV radiation damage to their eyes. This is an observational cross-sectional study that was conducted in Saudi Arabia. The sample size was estimated by Raosoft with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5%. 82.7% of the respondents have heard of UV protection glasses, while 17.3% have not. The survey also asked the participants about their perception of the effects of UV rays on the human body and eyes. Moving on to the survey on the most dangerous time to be exposed to the sun without protection, the majority of respondents (89.0%) identified noon time as the most perilous period. Furthermore, a noteworthy 68.6% of respondents acknowledged that commercial sunglasses hurt the eyes, while 31.4% did not share this belief. Age exhibited a significant association with knowledge score with p-value= 0.015. Furthermore, the gender distribution also revealed interesting insights. Compared to males, a higher number of females (73.3%) demonstrated knowledge, exhibiting significant association with knowledge score with p-value= 0.006. In conclusion, participants seemed to exhibit adequate knowledge. Age and gender were significantly associated with knowledge of UV rays.