ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the ocular morbidity due to delayed presentation in glaucoma patients because of COVID lockdown. Methodology: This was a retrospective study of 15 cases presented to us between October 2020 and February 2021. Cause of glaucoma in our study group was either primary angle closure, pseudoexfoliation, lens-induced glaucoma, or neovascular glaucoma. The cause of delayed presentation was identified and patients were treated with antiglaucoma medications, Nd-Yag laser, and surgery as per the standard treatment protocol. Results: With both medical and surgical intervention, some useful vision was restored in five cases while in rest it was not salvageable. The vision in the affected eye ranged from 6/60 in Snellen's chart to perception of light and projection of rays positive. Better results were achieved in angle, closure, and lens-induced glaucoma cases as compared to neovascular glaucoma cases. Conclusion: The time of presentation in such cases is as important as the etiopathogenesis. We are left with limited treatment options if the presentation is late. The lockdown ended but it unraveled quite a few instances of disease presentation which were totally preventable under normal circumstances. Introspection on finding out newer and proactive methods to reach people suffering from such irreversible but preventable diseases is the need of the day especially when preventable but irreversible diseases like glaucoma are considered.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess awareness about online classes and to assess if they can aid learning in the field of medicine amid lockdown. METHODS: Online survey comprising a questionnaire related to the aspects of online teaching was undertaken. There were 16 questions, and responses were collected from undergraduates, postgraduates, and the teaching faculties. RESULTS: Online classes were viewed favorably by the vast majority of respondents. Out of 412 respondents 79.9% actively attended the classes. While 42% felt the timings were inappropriate as they clashed with duty hours, a set of 35% had difficulty understanding the content and most of them were undergraduates. Poor internet connection was a main hindrance identified. In total, 69.2% respondents were happy with the feasibility of the classes and believed these classes had the advantage of being economical as they offered exposure to national and international faculty from the comfort of their homes. CONCLUSION: Conducting online classes on a national scale is a herculean task for a developing country because of poor internet connectivity and deficient access to high-speed broadband services. Nevertheless, their popularity among students during the current crisis shows that it is a very pragmatic and feasible teaching option and can definitely supplement traditional classroom teaching.
