A recognition survey of granular corneal dystrophy type 2 genetic detection in China.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of promoting genetic detection for granular corneal dystrophy type 2 (GCD) by a questionnaire conducted among citizens in five cities in China.

Methods: The data were collected by questionnaire, and analyzed by Chi-square test and one-tailed test in IBM SPSS statistics.

Results: Based on the survey data on the awareness of GCD genetic detection in this study and the positive predictive analysis report of the citizens in five cities in China, the vast majority (84.2%) of respondents had never heard of it and did not know that GCD patients have been prohibited from performing excimer surgery that can deteriorate GCD patients' condition even leading to blindness. Though 3.4% of patients understood GCD very much, they have no idea that GCD could not be 100% accuracy diagnosed by the conventional inspection methods.

Conclusion: It is feasible and necessary to use GCD genetic detection as an excimer preoperative examination project. In order to promote the development of detection project, a few improvements should be carried out in terms of the promoting efforts, costs, and research progress.