Murat ERDAĞ, Mustafa BÜLBÜL, Mehmet CANLEBLEBICI, Ali DAL, Mehmet BALBABA, Hakan YILDIRIM
Turkish Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - 2026;21(3):118-129
Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate glaucoma awareness, information sources, and attitudes towards glaucoma in different age groups in Türkiye and to examine possible differences between age groups. Method: This community-based cross-sectional survey included a total of 292 participants aged 18 and over. Participants were divided into three age groups: <= 30 years (Group 1), 31-39 years (Group 2), and >=40 years (Group 3). Sociodemographic characteristics, contact with eye health services, glaucoma awareness, and knowledge parameters were assessed through a structured questionnaire. Relationships between age groups and categorical variables were analyzed using the chi-square test; pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni correction were performed for variables found to be significant. Results: The mean age of the 292 participants was 23.69+/-3.37 years in Group 1, 34.72+/-2.71 years in Group 2, and 53.52+/-10.75 years in Group 3. Gender distribution was similar across age groups (p=0.146). No significant differences were found between age groups in terms of prior knowledge about glaucoma, sources of information, knowledge about the organ affected by glaucoma, perception of the most frequently affected age group, opinions regarding the presence of early signs, symptoms, risk factors, approaches to early diagnosis, treatment options, consequences of untreated glaucoma, family history of glaucoma, preferred methods for raising awareness, and recommended frequency of eye examinations (p>0.05). In contrast, income level differed significantly among age groups (p=0.002), mainly due to the comparison between Group 1 and Group 3. Education level was related to age (p=0.006); lower education levels were more frequently observed in Group 3. The rate of regular eye examinations differed among age groups (p=0.005) and was higher in Group 3. The rate of previous intraocular pressure measurement increased with age (p=0.022) and a significant difference was found between Group 1 and Group 3 (p=0.008). The desire to learn more about glaucoma differed significantly among age groups (p<0.001); this rate was 68.6% in Group 1, 90.7% in Group 2, and 84.8% in Group 3. Conclusion: This study reveals that glaucoma awareness, knowledge levels, and information sources in Türkiye are largely similar across different age groups, despite age-related socioeconomic and clinical differences. The lower desire to learn about glaucoma among young adults suggests that this group could benefit from being specifically addressed in awareness campaigns. The findings indicate that age-sensitive and targeted approaches to increasing glaucoma awareness may contribute to improved awareness levels at the community level in the future.
