Background: The importance of evidence-based optometry practice in the current era of expanding role of optometry cannot be overemphasized. With many optometrists being involved in the diagnosis, management and co-management of various eye diseases, there is need to assess the quality of evidence-based used in their clinical decision making. Methods: A self-administered survey that was made available via emails was administered to practicing optometrists in Saudi Arabia. Responses were analyzed descriptively and Chi squared test was performed to determine the level of association between practitioner characteristics and sources of evidence. Results: A hundred and fourteen optometrists (62% men, 38% females) aged 31.0 ± 7.1 years with an average of 7.2 years of experience completed the survey (response rate 53%). The four most important factors they identified which underpinned their clinical decision making in their order of ranking were; patients’ signs and symptoms (86%), knowledge and information gained during the postgraduate training/continuing education (64%), undergraduate optometry training (46%) and internet databases such as Pubmed and Medline (45%). About 45% indicated that they did not read scientific journals regularly, but depended on text books for information. For those who often read peer reviewed journals, Optometry and Vision Science (42%), Saudi Ophthalmology Journal (19%) and Clinical and Experimental Optometry (18%), journals were the most common. Approximately, 68% had made some modifications in their clinical decisions based on new evidence from literatures gleaned from test books, within the last two years especially in the nature of their soft contact lens practice and subjective refraction. Only 59% completed the minimum hours of continuous education required for license renewal and for about two-third of the respondents (68%), this was primarily sourced from local seminars offered by the Saudi Association of Optometry and Vision Scientist. Conclusion: Saudi optometrists appear to use evidence that is not “up to date” or ‘high level’ and that does not support evidence-based practice. The findings suggest the need to re-educate Saudi Optometrists on how and where to search for, and the importance of using current evidence rather than being dependent on information provided by their educators
