DR.DEEPSEKHAR DAS

Dr.Aishwarya Rathod, Dr. NAMRATA SHARMA, Dr.GUNJAN SALUJA

Abstract

In COVID-19 pandemic, face masks is an effective tool to control the spread of infection. We aimed to study the adherence, compliance of using masks in patients coming to the eye emergency department in a tertiary eye care centre.

This was a cross-sectional study, conducted in the eye casualty of a tertiary hospital in north India. A questionnaire was prepared and patients presenting from 23.05.2020 to 29.05.2020 were included. Patients who were uncooperative were excluded.

100 patients were obtained. Majority were male and the mean age was 32.1years. 86% of the patients were wearing masks. Most (38.4%) were using cotton masks and did not know how to correctly use a mask. The most common difficulty faced while using a mask was difficulty to speak. The most common cause for not wearing one was not having money to buy and significant percentage(50%) of them were uneducated.

Education of the masses and social awareness is the need of the hour to control the pandemic.