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. 2022 Oct;70(10):3643-3648.
doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_254_22.

An insight into the altered ophthalmic dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic

Jaya Kaushik  1 , Eram Riyaz  1 , Y V K Chaitanya  1 , Renu Nair  1 , Ashok Kumar  1 , Ankita Singh  1 , J K S Parihar  2 , S Srikant  1 , Rakesh Shetty  1
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An insight into the altered ophthalmic dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic

Jaya Kaushik et al. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this survey-based study was to examine the effects of personal protective measures taken at the level of instrument and surgeon during the pandemic on the optics in ophthalmology.

Methods: The study involved an online questionnaire of 24 questions which was distributed to ophthalmologists practicing in several hospitals, including residents and fellows undergoing training in ophthalmology in India. The responses were collected through an online data collection tool (Google forms). The participants could choose from multiple options provided to them in each question.

Results: A total of 285 participants out of 296 had used modified methods for examining and performing surgical procedures during the pandemic, while 78.7% (265) of the participants acknowledged having encountered difficulty in interpreting the ocular findings of patients while examining in personal protective equipment. Moreover, 58.7% (198) of our study respondents also reported that there was significant worsening of the quality of ophthalmological examination with pandemic-appropriate measures and 84.8% (286) of our study participants also felt that these measures have significantly added to the time of examination, hence increasing the risk of exposure to both patient and doctor.

Conclusion: The workplace study has highlighted the crucial aspects of optics in ophthalmology during the pandemic. The protective measures taken during the pandemic have significantly worsened the quality of ophthalmological examination and increased the time taken to perform outpatient department-based and surgical procedures in ophthalmology.

Keywords: COVID-19; ophthalmology; optics; pandemic.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Protective methods used with slit-lamp and indirect ophthalmoscope
Figure 2
Figure 2
Technical issues faced by participants in Visual Field Analysis interpretation
Figure 3
Figure 3
Issues faced by participants while performing laser procedures/surgeries in PPE. PPE = personal protective equipment
Figure 4
Figure 4
Measures taken by the participants to improve visibility during surgeries/laser procedures during the pandemic. PPE = personal protective equipment
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