AbstractBackground: Several challenges exists in rural areas, as most ophthalmologists are concentrated in urban areas, this leaves many people without access to regular eye exams or treatment, which is vital in preventing permanent vision loss in the setting of glaucoma. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to assess the Awareness and knowledge of Glaucoma among Households. Materials And Methods: This study included 200 households (100 rural;100 urban) aged above 20 years in rural and urban field practice areas. After the informed consent, every household was subjected to personal interview using a semistructured and pretested questionnaire Results: The awareness on glaucoma was significantly higher in the literates (p= 0.000) in urban and among rural area (p= 0.015) as compared to illiterates. There was a statistical difference in the awareness of glaucoma between the males and females (p=0.014) in urban area and in rural area (p=0.005). Conclusion: Awareness and knowledge of glaucoma is poor both in urban as well as rural population. This study highlights the need for health education to effectively prevent blindness due to glaucoma.
Keywords: Glaucoma; Awareness; Urban area; Rural Area.