Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Ophthalmic Drug Abuse: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Ophthalmologists in Jordan

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was conducted to provide background regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of ophthalmologists in Jordan regarding ophthalmic product abuse and misuse. A cross-sectional self-reported survey was conducted among a sample of ophthalmologists of all ranks who were working at different hospitals, centers, and clinics in Jordan. A total of 137 valid questionnaires were returned (response rate = 69.1%). The majority of respondents were male (73.7%) and between 20 and 40 years old. Only 47.4% of our sample knew the correct difference between the definitions “abuse” and “misuse.” The majority of participating ophthalmologists (87.6%) reported that ophthalmic drugs were liable to abuse. Ophthalmologists 40 years or younger had more knowledge about ophthalmic products abuse than their older counterparts (p < 0.05). Most ophthalmologists (67.2%) reported Pentolate® eye drop (cyclopentolate) as the top ophthalmic product liable to abuse. This study provided, for the first time, background regarding the knowledge, attitude, and practice of ophthalmologists about this relatively uncommon and alerting type of drug abuse. Moreover, it highlighted the importance of increasing awareness of ophthalmologists and community pharmacists who dispense such drugs about the issue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albsoul-Younes, A., Wazaify, M., Yousef, A.-M., & Tahaineh, L. (2010). Abuse and misuse of prescription and nonprescription drugs sold in community pharmacies in Jordan. Substance Use & Misuse, 45, 1319–1329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Khalaileh, W., Wazaify, M., & Van Hout, M. C. (2018). The misuse and abuse of ophthalmic preparations: a scoping review of clinical case presentations and extant literature. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 16, 1055–1084.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Khalaileh, W., Abu-Farha, R., Wazaify, M., & Van Hout, M. C. (2019). Ophthalmic drug abuse: an observational study from community pharmacies. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy., 15, 943–948

  • Al-Maaz, S., Abu-Dahab, R., Shawagfeh, M., & Wazaify, M. (2019). Prevalence and pattern of substance use and misuse among anesthesia health-care personnel in Jordan. Journal of Substance Use, 24, 317–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balbani, A. P., Duarte, J. G., de Mello Jr, J. F., D'Antonio, W. E., Câmara, J., & Butugan, O. (2000). Toxicity of drugs used for treatment of rhinitis: a reminder to the otorhinolaryngologist. American Journal of Rhinology, 14, 77–82.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bersani, F. S., Corazza, O., Simonato, P., Mylokosta, A., Levari, E., Lovaste, R., & Schifano, F. (2013). Drops of madness? Recreational misuse of tropicamide collyrium; early warning alerts from Russia and Italy. General Hospital Psychiatry, 35, 571–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bersani, F. S., Imperatori, C., Prilutskaya, M., Kuliev, R., & Corazza, O. (2015). Injecting eye-drops: a mini-review on the non-clinical use of tropicamide. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 30, 262–264.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bozkurt, M., Karabulut, V., Evren, C., Seker, M., & Kan, H. (2015). Intravenous abuse of tropicamide in opioid use disorder: presentation of 2 cases. Substance Abuse, 36, 170–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casati, A., Sedefov, R., & Pfeiffer-Gerschel, T. (2012). Misuse of medicines in the European Union: a systematic review of the literature. European Addiction Research, 18, 228–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choudhry, N. K., Fletcher, R. H., & Soumerai, S. B. (2005). Systematic review: the relationship between clinical experience and quality of health care. Annals of Internal Medicine, 142, 260–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cline, R. J., & Haynes, K. M. (2001). Consumer health information seeking on the Internet: the state of the art. Health Education Research, 16, 671–692.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, R. J. (2013). Over-the-counter medicine abuse–a review of the literature. Journal of Substance Use, 18, 82–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darcin, A. E., Dilbaz, N., Yilmaz, S., & Cetin, M. K. (2011). Cyclopentolate hydrochloride eye drops addiction: a case report. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 5, 84–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erdem, E., Undar, I. H., Esen, E., Yar, K., Yagmur, M., & Ersoz, R. (2013). Topical anesthetic eye drops abuse: are we aware of the danger? Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 32, 189–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagien, S. (2010). Management of hypotrichosis of the eyelashes: focus on bimatoprost. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology: CCID, 3, 39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flach, A. J. (2001). Corneal melts associated with topically applied nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society, 99, 205.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Flach, A. J. (2006). Misuse and abuse of topically applied nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Cornea, 25, 1265–1266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, G. F., McElnay, J. C., Hughes, C. M., & McKenna, P. (1999). Abuse/misuse of non-prescription drugs. Pharmacy World and Science, 21, 251–255.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaber, D., Bulatova, N., Suyagh, M., Yousef, A.-M., & Wazaify, M. (2015). Knowledge, attitude and opinion of drug misuse and abuse by pharmacy students: a cross-sectional study in Jordan. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 14, 1501–1508.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, D. (2011). Enhanced eyelashes: prescription and over-the-counter options. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 35, 116–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • The University of Jordan (2019). Program Specifications. Retrieved from http://medicine.ju.edu.jo/Lists/ProgramSpecifications/School_ProgSpic_last.aspx?prog=56&categ=12. Accessed 7 Jan 2020.

  • Kim, J. Y., Choi, Y. S., & Lee, J. H. (1997). Keratitis from corneal anesthetic abuse after photorefractive keratectomy. Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, 23, 447–449.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lessenger, J. E., & Feinberg, S. D. (2008). Abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 21, 45–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matti, A. I., & Saha, N. (2012). Topical ocular anaesthetic abuse in a contact lens wearer: a case of microbial keratitis. Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 95, 653–654.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2019). Commonly Abused Drugs Charts. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugsabuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts. Accessed 7 Jan 2020.

  • Rosenwasser, G. O., Holland, S., Pflugfelder, S. C., Lugo, M., Heidemann, D. G., Culbertson, W. W., & Kattan, H. (1990). Topical anesthetic abuse. Ophthalmology, 97, 967–972.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharifi, A., Sharifi, H., Karamouzian, M., Mokhtari, M., Esmaeili, H. H., Nejad, A. S., & Rahmatian, M. (2013). Topical ocular anesthetic abuse among Iranian welders: Time for action. Middle East African journal of ophthalmology, 20, 336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, S. M., Dart, R. C., Katz, N. P., Paillard, F., Adams, E. H., Comer, S. D., Degroot, A., Edwards, R. R., Haddox, J. D., & Jaffe, J. H. (2013). Classification and definition of misuse, abuse, and related events in clinical trials: ACTTION systematic review and recommendations. Pain®, 154, 2287–2296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spagnolo, P. A., Badiani, A., & Nencini, P. (2013). Polydrug abuse by intravenous use of heroin and tropicamide-containing eyedrops. Clinical Neuropharmacology, 36, 100–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Titcomb, L. (2012). Latanoprost as a cosmetic for eyelashes. The Pharmaceutical Journal, 289, 405.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tok, O. Y., Tok, L., Atay, I. M., Argun, T. C., Demirci, N., & Gunes, A. (2015). Toxic keratopathy associated with abuse of topical anesthetics and amniotic membrane transplantation for treatment. International Journal of Ophthalmology, 8, 938.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Trevor, A. J., Katzung, B. G., Masters, S. B., & Kruidering-Hall, M. (2010). Pharmacology examination & board review. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Hout, M. C. (2018). Medicinal products detected as novel psychoactive substances: the case of intravenous use of Tropicamide. Heroin Addiction And Related Clinical Problems, 20, 51–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wazaify, M., Abood, E., Tahaineh, L., & Albsoul-Younes, A. (2017a). Jordanian community pharmacists’ experience regarding prescription and nonprescription drug abuse and misuse in Jordan–an update. Journal of Substance Use, 22, 463–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wazaify, M., Alali, M. B., Yousef, M. A., & Qammaz, S. (2017b). Ophthalmic drops abuse in community pharmacy setting: a cross-sectional study from Jordan. Journal of Substance Use, 22, 656–660.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yagci, A., Bozkurt, B., Egrilmez, S., Palamar, M., Ozturk, B. T., & Pekel, H. (2011). Topical anesthetic abuse keratopathy: a commonly overlooked health care problem. Cornea, 30, 571–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan (UJ), Amman, Jordan

    Waed Al-Khalaileh & Mayyada Wazaify

  2. Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan

    Rana Abu-Farha

  3. Public Health Policy and Practice, Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moore’s University (LJMU), Liverpool, UK

    Marie Claire Van Hout

Authors
  1. Waed Al-Khalaileh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rana Abu-Farha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marie Claire Van Hout
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mayyada Wazaify
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mayyada Wazaify.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

Ethical approval was obtained from Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Jordan University Hospital (JUH), in addition to the approval of Graduate Studies Committee at The School of Pharmacy-The University of Jordan.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Al-Khalaileh, W., Abu-Farha, R., Van Hout, M.C. et al. Ophthalmic Drug Abuse: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Ophthalmologists in Jordan. Int J Ment Health Addiction 19, 1149–1161 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00216-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00216-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation