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STUDY OF CLINICALAND DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF PATIENTS VISITING A TERTIARY EYE CARE CENTRE ALONG WITH THE EFFECT OF LOCKDOWN DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Aim – To study the clinical and demographic profile of patients visiting a tertiary eye care centre along with the effect of lockdown during Covid-19 pandemic.
Material and Methods – This cross-sectional study included patients presenting during the entire lockdown period i.e. 25th March to 31st May, 2020. Records of the patients relating to symptoms, diagnosis and treatment modalities were analysed.
Results – A total of 723 patients presented in the ophthalmology department of which 82.43% were in the OPD and 17.57% in the emergency. 60.03% were male and 39.97% were female. In the OPD, 21.81% patients had refractory errors, 12.08% presented with corneal disorders of which viral keratitis was the most common disorder. 10.57% presented with retinal disorders, 8.05% of patients had cataract and 4.69% had glaucoma. During this period 21 emergency surgeries were conducted.
Conclusion – As a result of the nationwide lockdown in response to Covid-19 pandemic, there was considerable reduction in patients indicating lesser accessibility of health services to the needy patients. This needs to be addressed by planning delivery of health services in an effective and better way.