Author(s)

Assiatou Simaga, Mohamed Kolé Sidibé^*, Nana Wangara, Seydou Diallo, Ibrahima Conaré, Founè Keïta, Adama Dembélé, Nouhoum Guirou, Seydou Bakayoko

Institute of Ophthalmology and Tropical Africa (IOTA), Bamako, Mali.

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-medication consists in the fact that an individual resorts to a drug, on his own initiative or that of a loved one, with the aim of treating an ailment or a symptom that he identified himself without having recourse to a health professional. Self-medication involves the use of medicinal products by the consumer to treat self-recognized disorders or symptoms, or the intermittent or continued use of a medication prescribed by a physician for chronic or recurring diseases or symptoms. The aim of this study is to determine the different characteristics of ophthalmic self-medication at the CHU-IOTA. Patients and Method: We conducted a prospective study in patients of any age who resorted to ophthalmological self-medication before the first consultation or during the ophthalmological care of consulting patients at the CHU-IOTA between January 1 and July 31, 2021. Results: Over the period, 521 cases of ophthalmological self-medication were collected out of a total of 24,512 consultations, which corresponds to a frequency of 2.12%. The average age was 37.7 years, [2 months - 78]. The sex ratio was 0.50. Economic factors were the main factor mentioned, 66.79%. Corticosteroids accounted for 45.26% of the pharmacological class with dexamethasone/neomycin eye drops being the most widely used, i.e. 22.94%. The most common complication was corticosteroid-induced ocular hypertension on ametropia, i.e. 15.54%. Our patients were 68.13% educated. Among his educated patients 53.35% had no knowledge of the products. Conclusion: Given the harm associated with this practice, awareness and information campaigns aimed at the population, caregivers and pharmacists or pharmacy vendors are necessary in order to reduce the frequency of the practice of self-medication.

Self-Medication, Conditions, Eye, CHU-IOTA

Simaga, A. , Sidibé, M. , Wangara, N. , Diallo, S. , Conaré, I. , Keïta, F. , Dembélé, A. , Guirou, N. and Bakayoko, S. (2023) Self-Medication during Eye Affections among Consultant Patients at Chu-Iota. Open Journal of Ophthalmology, 13, 256-262. doi: 10.4236/ojoph.2023.132023.