DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i06.049

Pages: 2306-2309

In India, there is huge need for the availability of the eye donors to reduce the burden of the corneal blindness. Voluntary eye donation usually depends on the knowledge and awareness levels in the community. Medical students are the future doctors practicing in the various community levels and they can be important sources of distributing the awareness of the eye donation. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and awareness level regarding eye donation among medical students. This study was done involving the medical students regarding knowledge and awareness of eye donation. The questionnaire were consisting of demographic details, various aspects of eye donation, intention to donate eyes, awareness regarding eye donation, eye healthcare, reasons for donating or pledging and not, and sources of information. The data was collected, tabulated and analyzed using percentage analysis. Total 178 medical students were participated in the present study and all the students had submitted their responses. The knowledge of eye donation within 6 hours of death is known to 72.47 % of the students and the fact of transplantation within 2-3 days after the removal of the eye was not known to 54.49 % of the medical students.The awareness that the eyes can be donated was present in 97.19 % of the medical students, while the age limit awareness was present only with the 26.96 % of the medical students. In the study of sources of information for the eye donation, 53 % of the medical students got this knowledge from the television. The knowledge and awareness levels about the eye donation were low among the medical students.