Hamide Zengin1*, Sinem Yalnızoğlu Çaka2, Elif Erbay Özdede1, İpek Tanır Tatar3, Nursan Çınar4
- Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pediatric Nursing, Bilecik, Turkey.
- Kocaeli University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pediatric Nursing, Kocaeli, Turkey
- Ministry of Health, Bafra Government Hospital, Clinic of Eye Diseases, Samsun, Turkey.
- Sakarya University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pediatric Nursing, Sakarya, Turkey
*Corresponding Author: Hamide Zengin; E-mail: hamide.zengin@bilecik.edu.tr
Abstract
Aim
This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of contact lens (CL) use among university students, their awareness on CL, and CL users’ practices for the cleaning and care of CLs.
Methods
The data of this cross-sectional study were collected between April 2019 and July 2019. The sample consisted of university students who volunteered to participate in the study. The data obtained from the study were evaluated by Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) 22.0 package program in computer environment.
Results
929 students participated in the study and the average age of them was 21.99±1.85 years (Min. 18 – Max. 24), and it was determined that 36.6% (n=340) of the participants were male, 10.2% (n=95) of the total were using CL, 91.6% (n=87) of them used CL due to visual impairment. When students’ levels of knowledge about the hygiene and care in CL use were examined 85.4% (n=82) washed their hands before wearing/removing CL, 85.3% (n=81) cleaned the lens container and filled it with new solution when the solution in the container was reduced, 18.5% (n=17) continued wearing CL while sleeping, 6.5% (n=6) washed CL with tap water, and 28.3% (n=26) of them stated that they swam in the sea with CL. It was determined that the prevalence of CL use was higher (p= .045) among smoking students.
Conclusion
Health professionals are important in the trainings to be given to increase the students’ knowledge of hygiene and care regarding the use of CL. More studies are needed on the effect of smoking status on CL use.
Keywords: CL use; Care; Knowledge; Prevalence; University students