Dr. CHANDNI CHAKRABORTY

Abstract

The Covid19 Pandemic has imposed an immense impact on the ocular health related activities of school children.

The present study is a observational study conducted as an online questionnaire for school children regarding the use of glass, outdoor activities, screen time, any visual or ocular complaint before and upto 6weeks of lockdown.

36 students responded.18(50%) of them use glasses.Screen time increased in 25(69%) during lockdown.Outdoor activities decreased in16(44%). 4(11%) had difficulty in doing physical classes before lockdown.5(14%) reported discomfort in doing online classes . All 5 of aesthenopic students had 3 fold or more increase in screen time.8(22%) had pre existing eye problems. No new eye problem except aesthenopia( 14%) developed during lockdown.

So we conclude that a significant incidence of aesthenopia (20%) associated with increased screen time at 6 weeks of lockdown which may increase on further follow up that warrant need for proper evaluation and management.