Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Access to eye health care, which has a substantial influence on quality of life, is crucial for preventing and treating vision impairments. The determinants of access to eye health care in Ethiopia, especially in the Gamo and Gofa Zones in southern Ethiopia, are not well known. Therefore, this study aimed to identify barriers to accessing eye health services at the community level. METHODS: A community-based, exploratory descriptive qualitative study was conducted among adult women and men residing in two zones from June 2 to July 10, 2023. A purposive sampling technique was utilized to collect qualitative data. In-depth interviews and FGDs were included among the purposefully selected study participants. During the interviews and discussions, digital audio recording was carried out. The data were analysed via the inductive thematic analysis technique and direct quotations from participants' opinions. The respective themes and subthemes provided a detailed overview of the findings, and the Atlas software was used to support the analysis. FINDINGS: Nine FGDs were conducted among 90 participants. Moreover, a total of 26 in-depth interview participants were included. The mean (±SD) age of the participants in the in-depth interviews was 32.96 ± 4.8 years. The most commonly cited barriers (1) poor awareness and misperception, financial constraints and community-based health insurance implementation gaps; (2) lack of social support; (3) lack of healthcare accessibility, shortage of basic medical equipment; (4) cultural eye care practices and (5) poor road access, rough topography, and difficulty reaching areas, which are identified as obstacles for accessing eye health services. CONCLUSION: This study identified pertinent barriers that hinder access to eye health care in the study area. Therefore, tailored strategies are needed to tackle the challenges. This approach is helpful for the local context and offers actionable insights for health policymakers and program designers.