Deepa Dubey‡, Aditya Tripathi‡Corresponding author: Aditya Tripathi ( optom.aditya@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Vanya Birdanova © Deepa Dubey, Aditya Tripathi. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Citation:
Dubey D, Tripathi A (2026) Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the use of contact lenses among the students of medical and allied health colleges in North India. Journal of Biomedical and Clinical Research 19: 235-245. https://doi.org/10.3897/jbcr.e192550 |  |
Background: Contact lenses (CLs) are widely used for refractive correction, therapeutic purposes and cosmetic enhancement. However, inadequate knowledge and poor hygiene practices can lead to complications such as microbial keratitis.
Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitude towards the use of contact lenses and practices regarding their use among medical and allied health college students in North India.
Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among 157 students from medical and allied health institutions across North India between March and June 2025. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of demographic information and items assessing knowledge, attitude, and practices related to contact lens use. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise responses, while inferential analyses including Chi-square tests and logistic regression were performed to explore factors associated with poor hygiene practices.
Results: The mean age of participants was 27.5 years (range 18–36). Of the 157 respondents, 52.9% were females and 46.5% were males. Approximately 87.9% had heard of contact lenses, while 29.9% had actually used them. Most participants recognised that contact lenses could be used for both refractive correction and cosmetic purposes. Knowledge regarding complications due to CL use was generally satisfactory. Nevertheless, gaps in knowledge about cleaning, storage, and disinfection practices were identified. Among contact lens users (n = 47), 66.0% reported at least one risky hygiene behaviour. Most of these participants (87.9%) noted washing hands before handling lenses, and 24.2% noted removal of lenses before sleeping. However, 11.5% admitted showering while wearing lenses, and 11.5% had shared lenses with others. Only 61.8% reported scheduled aftercare visits, and a proportion of users reported unsafe practices such as water exposure and lens sharing.
Conclusion: Knowledge regarding contact lens use was high, but gaps in hygiene practices remain. Educational programs emphasising safe CL handling, avoiding water exposure, and the importance of follow-up visits are essential to prevent complications.