Awareness of age-related macular degeneration and its associated risk factors: a cross-sectional study among the Saudi population

Abstract

Background Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive retinal degenerative disease divided into two types: early dry non-neovascular AMD and advanced wet neovascular AMD. It is recognized as the leading cause of irreversible blindness in high-income nations, with an increasing incidence among the elderly. This study aims to assess the awareness of AMD among the Saudi population and identify the groups with the least knowledge and the factors influencing their level of knowledge. Patients and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated questionnaire adapted from the AMD Alliance International Global Report. Univariate analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with awareness of AMD, and the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Two-tailed analysis with P value less than 0.05 was used as the cutoff for statistical significance. Results Among the 1008 participants who agreed to participate, the most common age group was 41–50 years (33.7%) and nearly two-thirds (63%) were female. Only 7.6% of participants were aware of AMD, whereas 92.4% were not aware, and higher educational levels were associated with increased awareness of AMD. Conclusion There is a low level of awareness of AMD among the Saudi population. A great emphasis on the importance of AMD education and awareness of modifiable risk factors is necessary, especially among the high-risk population.