ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the visual acuity (VA) by smartphone-based applications - EyeChart and the Peek Acuity to the standard Snellen chart to explore the possibility of using them as an alternative in tele-ophthalmology in the current COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analytical type of observational study was done on 360 eyes of 184 patients above 18 years of age. Patients with VA <6/60 and gross ocular pathology were excluded from the study. VA measured by these three methods was converted to logMAR scale for ease of statistical analysis. One-way analysis of variance with post Tukey HSD was used to compare the VA measured by these three methods. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between VA measured using the smartphone-based apps (EyeChart and Peek Acuity) and the Snellen chart (F = 2.5411, P = 0.7925) in 360 eyes assessed. VA measured by Peek Acuity (P = 0.5225) was more comparable to Snellen chart than EyeChart (P = 0.4730). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) demonstrated a strong positive correlation for EyeChart (ICC: 0.982, P < 0.001) and Peek Acuity (ICC: 0.980, P < 0.001) with Snellen chart. A Bland-Altman difference plot showed good limits of agreement for both EyeChart and Peek Acuity with Snellen chart. In subgroup analysis, VA measured by Peek Acuity was not statistically different from Snellen in any subgroups, but in EyeChart, it was statistically different in emmetropes. CONCLUSION: VA measured by smartphone apps (EyeChart and Peek Acuity) was comparable with traditional Snellen chart and can be used as an effective, reliable, and feasible alternative to assess VA in tele-ophthalmology.
ABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 has had a lasting effect on the overall health of recovered patients, called 'long COVID'. Currently, there is a lack of a validated standard questionnaire to assess post-COVID health status. A retrospective observational study involving the recovered COVID patients admitted to a secondary care hospital in India between June to December 2020 (n = 123), was conducted using the EuroQol-5D-5L scale at discharge, 4 weeks and 8 weeks post-discharge. A significant difference in anxiety/depression scores was found (χ2 = 65.6, p < 0.000) among the 3 categories of time (discharge, 4 weeks and 8 weeks). The anxiety/depression dimension scores showed a significant change (p < 0.0001) between discharge and 8 weeks, using paired t-test. Age had a significant relationship with the anxiety/depression dimension at 4 weeks (OR = 5.617, 95% CI = 1.0320-30.5746, p < 0.05). A significant difference was found using Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test on mean index scores (χ2 = 60.0, p < 0.000) among the three categories of time (discharge, 4 weeks and 8 weeks). There was a statistically significant difference of time on EQ Index scores as determined by one-way repeated measures ANOVA (F(2,375) = 18.941, p = <0.00001). Our study found time to have a statistically significant impact on the mean index scores, level sum scores and dimension scores. Smoking was found to be significantly associated with usual activity scores at 4 weeks. The most remarkable changes occurred in the anxiety/depression dimension. Overall, there was a general trend of health improvement.