{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T16:44:15Z","timestamp":1791996255665,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Online J Public Health Inform"],"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Background<\/jats:title>\n Eye diseases are prevalent conditions around the world. More than 2 billion individuals globally have visual impairment. However, reducing the worldwide burden of eye disorders requires increased public awareness of prevalent eye diseases.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ophthalmic symptoms and associated factors among adults studying or working at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Saudi Arabia.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults studying or working at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected on ophthalmic symptoms experienced within the past 30 days, along with demographic characteristics and other relevant factors. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the prevalence of these symptoms and to identify associated factors.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n The presence of at least 1 ophthalmic symptom was reported by 73.9% (184\/249) of the respondents. The most prevalent symptoms included stinging eyes (76\/249, 30.5%) and eye pain (71\/249, 28.5%). Female participants reported a significantly higher prevalence of several symptoms, including stinging eyes, bloodshot eyes, swelling around the eyes, dark spots in the central field of view, foreign body sensation, and near vision difficulty. Multivariable analysis revealed that sex and the use of eye lubricants were the most significant predictors of ophthalmic symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.73, 95% CI 2.02\u20106.87;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n <.001). Specifically, female participants had 3 times the odds of experiencing at least 1 ophthalmic symptom compared with male participants. Additionally, participants who used eye lubricants were 70% less likely to report ophthalmic symptoms (AOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.15\u20100.6;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n <.001).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Ophthalmic symptoms are highly prevalent among adults in Saudi Arabia. Sex and the use of eye lubricants are key factors associated with these symptoms. These findings underscore the need for increased awareness, targeted interventions, and the promotion of eye lubricant use to reduce the burden of ophthalmic symptoms in this population.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/82235","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T15:44:26Z","timestamp":1791992666000},"page":"e82235-e82235","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Prevalence of Ophthalmic Symptoms Among Adults in King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences: Cross-Sectional Survey"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2656-0714","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Taghreed","family":"Alnahedh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2665-0613","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammed","family":"Taha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-1914-8845","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Omar Saad","family":"Alhadlaq","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]]},"reference":[{"issue":"11","key":"R1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1317","DOI":"10.1001\/jamaophthalmol.2019.3537","article-title":"Evaluating whether sight is the most valued sense","volume":"137","author":"Enoch","journal-title":"JAMA Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"6","key":"R2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"656","DOI":"10.1080\/09540261.2024.2355281","article-title":"Digital visions: the experience of self and others in the age of the digital revolution","volume":"36","author":"Gallese","journal-title":"Int Rev Psychiatry"},{"issue":"1","key":"R3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1001\/jamaophthalmol.2023.5617","article-title":"Global, regional, and national epidemiology of visual impairment in working-age individuals, 1990-2019","volume":"142","author":"Chen","journal-title":"JAMA Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"2","key":"R4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e144","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(20)30489-7","article-title":"Causes of blindness and vision impairment in 2020 and trends over 30 years, and prevalence of avoidable blindness in relation to VISION 2020: the Right to Sight: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study","volume":"9","author":"GBD 2019 Blindness and Vision Impairment Collaborators","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"issue":"4","key":"R5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph20043594","article-title":"Awareness of common eye diseases and their risk factors-a nationwide cross-sectional survey among adults in Poland","volume":"20","author":"Kami\u0144ska","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"R6","unstructured":"World report on vision. World Health Organization; 2019. URL: https:\/\/cdn.who.int\/media\/docs\/default-source\/infographics-pdf\/world-vision-infographic-final.pdf?sfvrsn=85b7bcde_2 [Accessed 25-04-2024]"},{"issue":"1","key":"R7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjdrc-2019-001094","article-title":"Eye care providers\u2019 emerging roles in early detection of diabetes and management of diabetic changes to the ocular surface: a review","volume":"8","author":"Richdale","journal-title":"BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care"},{"issue":"2","key":"R8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.21899","article-title":"Glaucoma in adults-screening, diagnosis, and management: a review","volume":"325","author":"Stein","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"issue":"2","key":"R9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.7861\/clinmed.2022-0046","article-title":"Inflammatory eye disease: an overview of clinical presentation and management","volume":"22","author":"Miller","journal-title":"Clin Med (Lond)"},{"issue":"5","key":"R10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2022.14610","article-title":"Vision impairment has implications for aging and health outcomes, beyond ophthalmology","volume":"5","author":"Varadaraj","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"issue":"1","key":"R11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12886-021-01912-8","article-title":"Prevalence of dry eye syndrome in association with the use of contact lenses in Saudi Arabia","volume":"21","author":"Almutairi","journal-title":"BMC Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"6","key":"R12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.40170","article-title":"Prevalence and associated risk factors of dry eye disease among children and adults in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study","volume":"15","author":"Alrabghi","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"issue":"3","key":"R13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.4103\/sjmms.sjmms_251_22","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease among adults in Saudi Arabia","volume":"11","author":"Helayel","journal-title":"Saudi J Med Med Sci"},{"key":"R14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2147\/OPTH.S427101","article-title":"Prevalence and determinants of symptomatic dry eye disease among adult urban residents of high-altitude areas of southwest Saudi Arabia - a survey","volume":"17","author":"Aldawsari","journal-title":"Clin Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"10","key":"R15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1595","DOI":"10.18240\/ijo.2021.10.18","article-title":"Validation of the Arabic version of the Ocular Surface Disease Index Questionnaire","volume":"14","author":"Bakkar","journal-title":"Int J Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"3","key":"R16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"597","DOI":"10.1007\/s40123-020-00268-4","article-title":"Eyelid disorders in ophthalmology practice: results from a large international epidemiological study in eleven countries","volume":"9","author":"Doan","journal-title":"Ophthalmol Ther"},{"issue":"6","key":"R17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"976","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina61060976","article-title":"Exploring the prevalence of dry eye disease and its impact on quality of life in Saudi adults: a cross-sectional investigation","volume":"61","author":"Jareebi","journal-title":"Medicina (Kaunas)"},{"key":"R18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1324141","article-title":"Trends in the global burden of vision loss among the older adults from 1990 to 2019","volume":"12","author":"Yin","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"R19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2071","DOI":"10.4103\/ijo.IJO_2056_22","article-title":"The 20\/20\/20 rule: practicing pattern and associations with asthenopic symptoms","volume":"71","author":"Datta","journal-title":"Indian J Ophthalmol"},{"key":"R20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2470289720907105","article-title":"Eye conditions in women","volume":"4","author":"Wishna","journal-title":"Gend Genome"},{"issue":"2","key":"R21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e130","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(20)30425-3","article-title":"Trends in prevalence of blindness and distance and near vision impairment over 30 years: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study","volume":"9","author":"GBD 2019 Blindness and Vision Impairment Collaborators","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"key":"R22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jtos.2020.11.009","article-title":"Sex and age differences in symptoms and signs of dry eye disease in a Norwegian cohort of patients","volume":"19","author":"Tellefsen N\u00f8land","journal-title":"Ocul Surf"},{"issue":"1","key":"R23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0278921","article-title":"Gender differences in dry eye disease symptoms associated with psychological health indicators among adults using mobile mental health apps","volume":"18","author":"Kim","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"8","key":"R24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"894","DOI":"10.1111\/aos.15130","article-title":"Ocular surface health of the Finnish elderly population","volume":"100","author":"Aapola","journal-title":"Acta Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"2","key":"R25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.18240\/ijo.2018.02.20","article-title":"Gender differences in adolescent dry eye disease: a health problem in girls","volume":"11","author":"Ayaki","journal-title":"Int J Ophthalmol"},{"key":"R26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jtos.2023.12.001","article-title":"Dry eye disease in the young: a narrative review","volume":"31","author":"Stapleton","journal-title":"Ocul Surf"},{"issue":"1","key":"R27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12886-021-01978-4","article-title":"The prevalence, severity, and risk factors for dry eye disease in Dubai - a cross sectional study","volume":"21","author":"Alkabbani","journal-title":"BMC Ophthalmol"},{"key":"R28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1155\/2017\/1247138","article-title":"Correlation analysis of ocular symptoms and signs in patients with dry eye","volume":"2017","author":"Song","journal-title":"J Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"1","key":"R29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10792-026-04007-9","article-title":"Perfluorohexyloctane eye drops in treating dry eye disease associated with meibomian gland dysfunction: a post hoc analysis by baseline severity","volume":"46","author":"Liu","journal-title":"Int Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"4","key":"R30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"502","DOI":"10.1089\/jwh.2018.7041","article-title":"Dry eye disease: consideration for women\u2019s health","volume":"28","author":"Matossian","journal-title":"J Womens Health (Larchmt)"},{"issue":"2","key":"R31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"481","DOI":"10.1007\/s40123-023-00853-3","article-title":"Multi-symptom relief with propylene glycol-hydroxypropyl-guar nanoemulsion lubricant eye drops in subjects with dry eye disease: a post-marketing prospective study","volume":"13","author":"Bickle","journal-title":"Ophthalmol Ther"},{"key":"R32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2147\/OPTO.S350185","article-title":"Artificial tears: a systematic review","volume":"15","author":"Semp","journal-title":"Clin Optom (Auckl)"}],"container-title":["Online Journal of Public Health Informatics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T15:44:29Z","timestamp":1791992669000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/ojphi.jmir.org\/2026\/1\/e82235"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]]},"references-count":32,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/82235","relation":{},"ISSN":["1947-2579"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1947-2579","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]]},"article-number":"v18i11e82235"}}