Cases of dry eyes, digital screen strain, mature cataract on the rise

The number of cases of dry eyes and digital eye strain has gone up during the pandemic period, said a top official of Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital.

The cases of digital eye strain and dry eyes seen a significant rise as a result of excessive exposure to light-emitting digital screens as people adapted to work-from-home and study-from-home scenarios, said Dr. Amar Agarwal, Chairman.

According to him, the cases of matured cataracts surged from 10 per cent of the total cataract cases in the last quarter of 2019 to over 50 per cent during the same period in 2020.

Citing an internal study conducted in 2020, he said that the delay in seeking medical interventions during the first wave of the pandemic -- due to lockdown restrictions or fear of infection risks, had severely deteriorated the eye conditions of many patients.

Hence, without ignoring any eye issue, patients should seek medical intervention at the earliest.

Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital, one of India's largest networks of eyecare centers, has launched Dr. Agarwal's Eye Connect, a free online consultation platform, making its specialists available for advice on eye conditions, second opinion, and follow-ups for patients across the country. The free consultation will be available till August 15, 2021.

For those who are reluctant to go to a hospital for eye checkup, Dr.Agarwal's Eye Hospital has launched free online consultation service.

Patients can call (9167376973) or visit www.dragarwal.com to book an online consultation with specialists. For online consultation, there is no need to download any app. A computer or mobile phone with a good internet connection and camera is sufficient, he said.

It is important for the patients and the public to take extra care of their vision health and seek medical intervention without delay, as COVID-19 and the lifestyle changes - especially the increase in screen time, during the lockdown could harm eye health.

The COVID-19 infection may lead to the onset of eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, uveitis, artery and vein occlusions, and optic neuritis, Agarwal said.