Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess knowledge and attitude toward strabismus among adults in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adult residents (≥18 years) of Makkah City. A self-administered electronic questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, personal and family history of strabismus, and knowledge regarding the condition. A minimum sample size of 385 participants was calculated. Knowledge scores were categorized using a 60% cutoff to classify participants as having good or poor awareness.
Results: Overall, 70.8% of participants demonstrated poor knowledge of strabismus. Although 76.5% correctly identified strabismus as eye deviation and 63.3% recognized that it is treatable, awareness of treatment options was limited: surgery (36.5%), corrective lenses (36%), and patching (20%). Family history was identified as a risk factor by 55.7% of participants. No statistically significant association was found between knowledge level and age, gender, education, or personal or family history of strabismus (p-values>0.05).
Conclusion: In Makkah city, there was a lack of public knowledge of strabismus, especially in relation to treatment choices. Even afflicted people and their relatives might not get enough information, as no correlation was found between knowledge and past exposure to illness. These results emphasized the necessity of focused public health education initiatives to encourage early detection and lower the incidence of visual impairment.

Key words: Knowledge, attitude, strabismus, cross-sectional, Makkah, Saudi Arabia