Five-fold increase in cases of advanced cataract and dry eyes during
Health

Five-fold increase in cases of advanced cataract and dry eyes during the pandemic

Editor Desk
By Editor Desk

Five-fold increase in cases of advanced cataract and dry eyes during the pandemic

Hyderabad, 16 April 2021: The pandemic significantly worsened the severity of most eye conditions in people, with an increased number of patients suffering from advanced cataracts, eye infections, severe dry eyes (digital eye strain), and even corneal graft rejection, according to the doctors of Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital. The worst impact was seen in cases of advanced cataracts and dry eyes, all resulting from delayed treatment or loss of work-life balance due to working from home.

COVID’s impact on Eye treatments • Cases of advanced cataracts in the last quarter of 2019 were less than 10% of all cataract patients at Dr. Agarwal Eye Hospital, however, the last quarter of 2020 witnessed more than 50% patients with advanced cataracts • Digital eye strain and Dry Eyes - Less than 10% patients in the outpatient department in the last quarter of 2019 increased to 30 to 50% patients with digital eye strain and dry eyes in the last quarter of 2020 • Glaucoma – Though a minor increase in the number of patients with glaucoma but Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital noticed the worsening in some of the existing cases who did not come for regular follow-ups • Complications in previous corneal transplant patients - Several issues were noticed in previous graft patients like rejections, infections, high pressure etc.

Giving statistics comparing the pre and post-pandemic situation, Dr. Gaurav Arora, Regional Medical Director – Telangana, Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital said, “In the last quarter of 2019, less than 10 percent of all cataract patients coming to our hospital were suffering from advanced cataract. In the last quarter of 2020, this figure jumped to 50%, a five-fold increase. The cases of dry eyes due to digital eye strain