Knowledge and health beliefs of ocular manifestations, complications, and treatment of sickle cell disease in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a common genetically inherited disorder in Saudi Arabia. While recent advances in SCD treatment have provided new insight into the disease pathogenesis and early detection of further complications, such as ocular complications, a significant number of populations are unaware of the adverse health impact of SCD on the eyes, and its prevention and prevention and management strategies. This study aimed to investigate people's awareness of SCD's effect on the eye and vision, as well as the variables that affect that awareness. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jazan among SCD patients. An online self-administered questionnaire was disseminated to the participants. The constructed questionnaire included many sections to achieve the purpose of the study. The first section is for a collection of participants' demographic data and SCD status. The second section was for awareness of the ocular complications of SCD, whereas the third section was for knowledge about the different methods of treating SCD retinopathy. All results were analyzed at a significance level of P < 0.05. Results: The participants demonstrated a high awareness of SCD. About 42.8% of the participants were aware that SCD could affect body organs, including the eyes. About two-thirds of the participants (62.6%) did not know that blindness can be preventable. Whereas, 42.8% were aware that SCD retinopathy could be treated, and almost half of the participants, (48%) were unaware that ocular trauma is more dangerous in SCD patients than in normal people. The education level influenced the participants' knowledge, whereas participants with higher educational levels had more knowledge (P = 0.020). Conclusion: Despite the high level of awareness of SCD among the Saudi population, less percentage were aware of the effect of SCD on the eyes. There was no association between gender and level of awareness of SCD, whereas education level determined the awareness of SCD's adverse impact on the eyes, prevention, and treatment

Ocular Complications after COVID-19 Vaccination: A Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic affects various populations worldwide. The discovery of vaccinations was necessary for the prevention and elimination of the disease. Despite the high importance of these vaccinations, they may cause some complications, such as ocular complications. This study aims to draw attention to the possible complications of the vaccination and highlight its importance. Materials and Methods: Systematic review of the literature from January 2021 to January 2023. A total of 20 published articles were included and reported cases of ocular complications in patients who received COVID-19 vaccines. Results: A total of 243 patients with verified ocular complications following the COVID-19 vaccination were included, ranging in age from 18 to 84 years. The most common ocular complications reported in the current study were ocular inflammatory complications, which represented 47.3%, followed by optic neuritis (24.3%). Retinal artery occlusion, retinal vein occlusion, acute macular neuroretinopathy, and paracentral acute middle maculopathy represented 10.7%. Herpetic ocular infections and herpetic eye disease (14%). Nearly half (42%) of the patients with ocular problems received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination. Conclusions: Despite the high importance of the COVID-19 vaccination, it was found that it is associated with the occurrence of some ocular complications. Future projects should come with more extensive prospective studies to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms and risk factors associated with ocular complications following COVID-19 vaccination, thereby enhancing our understanding and guiding appropriate management strategies

Prevalence of Computer Vision Syndrome among School-Age Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Computer vision syndrome (CVS) can be described as ocular-related symptoms that result from prolonged exposure and use of computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices with digital displays. The main objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of CVS among school-age children, the associated signs, risk factors, and the association between the disease before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design. The targeted population was school-going children aged 6 to 18 in the Jazan region in the Southwest of Saudi Arabia. A sample of 440 participants was selected to represent the population under study. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Sociodemographic characteristics were recorded, such as age, gender, education level, parents’ education, occupation, frequency, and intensity of eye symptoms if present. Results: Most of the participants were adolescents between 16 and 18 and at a high-school education level. According to the total symptoms score, the CVS prevalence was 35.4%. Prevalence of CVS significantly affects age, gender, and school level (p p < 0.05). Conclusion: A total of 407 adolescents aged 16–18 responded to the questionnaire (response rate of 92.5%; 407 out of 440). The study estimated the prevalence of CVS among school-going children in Jazan to be low. The main signs associated with CVS included headache, tearing, itchiness, blurred vision, eye redness, eye pain, and dryness. The attitude of children toward their health condition during the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevalence of CVS have a significant relationship