AWARENESS OF PURCHASING CONTACT LENSES ONLINE AMONG MANAGEMENT & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

MANUSCRIPT AWARENESS OF PURCHASING CONTACT LENSES ONLINE AMONG MANAGEMENT & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Aasiyah Azami, Maryam Amiruddin Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, Management & Science University, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia aasiyahazami95@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: According to Malaysian Optical Council (MOC), in Malaysia, prescription and purchasing of contact lenses is regulated under the Optic Act 1991 (Subsection 30(5)) which applied to registered Optometrists and registered Opticians with Contact Lens license. Based on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Contact lens sales are regulated by both the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). According to last research, number of individuals purchasing contact lenses over the Internet are increasing and this is very worrying. Therefore, the aim of this research is to focus on study about the awareness of purchasing contact lenses over the Internet will place individual at risk among MSU students. A cross sectional study was conducted to evaluate the awareness among MSU students. Primary data was collected using self administered questionnaire consisting of socio demographic questions for part one, the awareness questions consist of 11 FDA items for part two.Total of 55 students were randomly persuade. Data was entered on SPSS. An analysis of collected data was analysed using descriptive statistics and t-test, indicated that MSU students had an approaching to weak awareness about purchasing contact lens over the Internet. There are also about 30% of MSU students purchasing contact lens over the Internet. The awareness of purchasing contact lens over the Internet are high, and does not dependant on the background of the courses taken by students.

Keywords:Awareness, Contact Lens, Online

INTRODUCTION Optometrists in Malaysia prescribed an average of 90 new pairs of contact lenses per year. Soft lenses made up 84% of the prescription followed by 14% of rigid gas permeable lenses and 1.5% of polymethymethacrylate lenses (Norhani Mohidin, Lee Tee Fung, 2009). However, in Malaysia, According to Malaysian Optical Council (MOC), in Malaysia, prescription and purchasing of contact lenses is regulated under the Optic Act 1991 (Subsection 30(5)) which applied to only registered optometrists and registered opticians with contact lens license.

The use of contact lenses is very common, and

constitutes a profitable industry. With the Internet becoming a more recognized source for health and medical information, consumers are increasingly purchasing their contact lenses online. Individuals are increasingly purchasing contact lenses over the Internet. No studies exist regarding Internet purchase of contact lenses and eye care health practices (Fogel, Zidile, 2008) . Previous studies have found that with regard to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendations, those who purchased contact lenses at doctor’s office more then adhered to the recommendations, whereas those who purchased contact lenses at a store or the Internet did so less often.

METHODS Study Design This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted on 80 samples in Management and Science University (MSU) Collecting Data The selection of samples was selected using persuasive sampling from walk in or an appointment patient of MSU Eye Centre. They should be students aged between 18 —29 years old regardless of gender. The samples should have connection to Internet through any gadgets.and still follow the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

RESULTS A total of 80 healthy and young subjects with mean age 21.98 ± 1.974 years old were recruited for this study. (Refer to Table 4.1.1). Among the 80 subjects, 7 (8.7%) from it were male and 73 (91.3%) from it were female. (Refer to Table 4.1.1). There are 38 samples (48%) from courses with science

background and 42 samples (52%) with courses from management background (Refer to Table 4.1.3 and Figure 4.1.1) A descriptive statistics test were done to study the trend of purchasing cotact lenses over the Internet. As per results obtained, there are about 20.1 % samples have history of purchasing contact lenses over the Internet. (Refer to Table 4.2.1).

Other than that, the results also showed that there is significant difference of response to the knowledge of FDA recommendation according to the place of purchasing contact lenses over the Internet. (Refer to Table 4.3.1) Purchasing contact lens at Doctor’s office have higher FDA recommendation of the aspects having full eye checkup at least one a year about 30.9% difference comparing to purchasing at Internet.

While, for the aspects of going for contact lenses fitting, there are about 40.0 % difference between doctor’s office and Internet.

A Pearson chi- square test was done to test for a statistically significant difference between knowledge of contact lens FDA recommendation among management students and science students of MSU. (Refer to Table 4.4.1).There are 4 FDA recommendation knowledge that have significance p value of 0.037 for question no.3 with strength of association 0.233, question no 7 with p value 0.028 and strength of association 0.246, question no 8 with p value 0.026 and strength of association 0.249 and lastly question no 10 with p value of 0.020 and strength of association 0.260.

Table 4.1.1: Mean age and gender for all subjects.

Variable %(n) Mean (SD) Years Sex Women Men

21.98 ± 1.974 91.3 % (73) 8.7% (7)

Table 4.1.2: Race for each group.

Race N Malay 58

% 72.5

Total

80

Indian

16

20

Chinese

5

6.25

Others

1

1.25

Table 4.1.3: Faculty distribution for all subjects.

Faculty Sample Percentag size (n) e (%) Science

38

Total

48 80

Management

42

52

DISCUSSION This study is to determine the trend of purchasing contact lenses over the Internet among Management & Science University. . As data collected and analysed, there are about 20.1% of participants have history of purchasing contact lenses over the Internet. This shows that optometrists at MSU Eye Centre and around that area have successfully instill awareness about the danger of purchasing contact lenses over the Internet.

From this study, we found that there is significant difference of contact lens FDA recommendation knowledge with their place of purchasing. Those that bought contact lenses at doctor’s office followed a number of FDA recommendations more than those who bought at Internet. According to previous study by Joshua Fogel and Chaya Zidile on 2008, there is major difference about 50% between subjects that bought contact lenses at Doctor’s office and Internet that following the FDA recommendation. Following FDA recommendation is very crucial.

There is small significance value between FDA recommendation knowledge and faculty either management students or science students. The p-value for question no.3 which is ‘have eye care specialist to make sure contact lenses prescription was filled’ is 0.037 with weak strength of association, 0.233. While for question no.7 which is ‘ check contact lenses that ordered match the prescription’ has p- value of 0.028 with also weak strength of 0.246. There is also significance 0.026 of FDA recommendation knowledge of ‘The place where they purchase contact lenses asks for their doctor’s name and contact information’ with strength of association 0.249.

CONCLUSION As per results showed above, there is significant high awareness of purchasing contact lenses over the Internet among Management & Science University students.

REFERENCES Joshua Fogel, Ph.D.,and Chaya Zidile. (2008) Contact lenses purchased over the Internet place individuals potentially at risk for harmful eye care practices.; 79, 23-35 Mashavendra Bhandari, Hung Pei Rou (2012) Habits of Contact Lens Wearer Towards Lens Care in Malaysia Morgan PB, Efton N, Hill EA, et al. Incidence of keratitis of varying severity among contact lens wearers. Br J Ophthalmol 2005;89:430– 436.

Norhani Mohidin & Bakyah Lorenza Zaimuri. (2012) Survei Penjagaan Kanta Sentuh di Kalangan Pemakai di Kuala Lumpur.; 41-48