To assess caregiver’s awareness, attitudes and practices related to childhood ocular morbidities among caregivers attending a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry. The study adopted a cross-sectional design and enrolled 103 parents and caregivers of children (< 18 years) attending the tertiary care teaching hospital in Puducherry during January–February 2025. A pretested and validated questionnaire was administered to assess participant’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding frequently encountered paediatric eye diseases, childhood blindness, preventive measures, and care-seeking behaviour. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Among the respondents, 63.1% were mothers, and 48.5% had education up to primary school level. Awareness of childhood blindness was reported by 89.3% of caregivers. Nearly three-quarters of respondents (72.5%) were familiar with common paediatric eye diseases; however awareness of their potential to cause blindness was lower (58.6%). Awareness was highest for ocular trauma (93.2%) and refractive errors (76.7%), and lowest for cataract (43.7%) and glaucoma (45.6%). Preventive measures commonly identified included a balanced diet (92%), routine eye check-ups (84.5%), and Vitamin A intake (67%). A minority still believed in home remedies (7.8%) or alternative medicine (13.6%). Most caregivers (60.2%) sought eye care only after symptoms developed; 69.9% consulted an ophthalmologist first, while 22.3% visited a paediatrician. Although caregivers demonstrated good general awareness of paediatric eye conditions, understanding of their potential to cause blindness was limited. Misconceptions and delayed care-seeking practices persist. Targeted caregiver education and strengthened involvement of paediatricians and school are essential to promote early detection and reduce preventable childhood blindness.
B. et al. (Mon,) studied this question.