Dear Editor, Contact lenses are transparent ocular prosthetic devices widely used for correcting refractive errors and managing certain corneal conditions, particularly among younger individuals, with over 150 million users worldwide. Their growing popularity for both medical and cosmetic purposes is attributed to greater convenience, esthetic appeal, and improved quality of life compared to spectacles. However, improper use and poor hygiene can lead to serious ocular complications, largely due to a lack of awareness and noncompliance with safety practices. Therefore, health education is essential in promoting safe contact lens use and preventing vision-threatening outcomes.1 The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, awareness, and practice about contact lenses among healthcare workers in a tertiary care center in Pune. The present cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling among healthcare workers – including doctors, residents, interns, MBBS students, and nursing staff – at a tertiary care center in Pune to assess knowledge and awareness regarding contact lens use. Data were collected using a structured, self-designed, expert-validated questionnaire covering demographic details, knowledge, and attitudes of both contact lens users and nonusers. After obtaining informed consent, the questionnaire was administered in person, with responses recorded through Google Forms and analyzed in Microsoft Excel. The tool was pretested on 30 participants to ensure clarity and reliability, who were excluded from the final analysis. A total of 290 participants were included, and the study was conducted following approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee with results presented in tables and graphs. A total of 290 healthcare workers participated in the study, with females comprising 54.8% and a mean age of 28 years (20–38 years). Awareness of contact lenses was high (97.24%); however, knowledge of safe practices was variable – only 32.41% knew they could be used by all age groups, 50% were aware of over-wear syndrome, and many were unaware of risks related to swimming (68.96%) and use during eye infections (90.34%). Overall, 88.96% demonstrated excellent knowledge scores Figure 1a.Figure 1: (a) Knowledge domain, (b) Reasons for avoiding contact lensesContact lens use was reported by 13.8% of participants, predominantly soft daily-wear lenses used for <6 months. Ocular complaints occurred in 39.13% of users, although only 63.04% sought medical care. Among nonusers, 41.5% expressed willingness to use contact lenses in the future, whereas fear of side effects (55%) was the most common reason for avoidance, followed by cost and difficulty in use Figure 1b. In the present study, 290 healthcare workers participated, including medical students, doctors, and nursing staff, with females constituting 54.8% and a mean age of 28 years. Awareness of contact lenses was high (97.24%); however, many participants were unaware of safe practices – 67.58% did not know contact lenses could be used in children, 68.96% were unaware of risks during swimming, and only 50% knew about over-wear syndrome. Poor hygiene-related risks were also noted, with 14.13% unaware that water can cause bacterial infection and 90.34% believing lenses are safe during eye infection. Knowledge levels were higher among medical students and doctors (97.93% excellent) compared to nursing staff (80%). Similar unsafe practices and associated complications have been reported by Smith and Orsborn2 and studies from Pakistan and Brazil. Among contact lens users, most wore lenses for <8 h daily (76.09%), although 12.38% reported sleeping with lenses occasionally – an important risk factor for microbial keratitis. A small proportion (1.92%) cleaned lenses with tap water, consistent with poor hygiene patterns described by Hickson-Curran et al.3 Ocular symptoms were reported by 39.13% of users, mainly itching, redness, and dryness, comparable to findings by Unnikrishnan and Hussain4 While 63.04% sought medical care for symptoms, a large proportion of participants were nonusers (86.2%), despite 60.9% having refractive errors, largely due to lack of recommendation and fear of side effects. Encouragingly, 41.5% expressed willingness to use contact lenses in the future if advised by a doctor, similar to observations by Thiraviam et al.5 Contact lens complications commonly arise from poor hygiene and noncompliance with recommended practices. Although healthcare workers demonstrated good knowledge in this study, significant gaps were observed in actual practices, particularly regarding overwear, swimming with lenses, and use during eye infections. This knowledge–practice mismatch underscores the need for targeted education and behavioral interventions to promote safe contact lens use and prevent ocular complications. The data supporting the findings of this study are not publicly available due to patient confidentiality and institutional policies. However, the data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Data availability statement The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
Siddiqui et al. (Wed,) studied this question.