Are professionals and patients wearing contact lenses during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Objective: To know the frequency and characteristics of contact lens use in professionals and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A digital questionnaire was used to obtain demographic information, use and frequency of contact lenses in professionals and fitting or refitting in patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: 172 professionals participated in the survey, of which 70.3% were women. There were refractive errors in 74.4%, and only 32.0% have used contact lenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lenses most used by professionals are silicone hydrogel, 99.9%. The replacement modality has been 69.0% biweekly or monthly. Optometrists (63.4%) reported that the frequency of fitting and/ or refitting contact lenses decreased during the pandemic. Before and during the pandemic, the lens material used more frequently was silicone hydrogel with 79.7% and 76.7%, respectively.The replacement modality was biweekly or monthly, with 76.2% before and 73.3% during the pandemic. Of all the participants, 58.1% consider that the sale of contact lenses has decreased. Conclusions: During the pandemic, the fitting, refitting, and sale of contact lenses have decreased. The lenses most used by professionals and patients are silicone hydrogels replaced every two weeks or monthly.

VIRTUAL LEARNING IN TIMES OF COVID-19: OPINION OF THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The consequences of COVID-19 are being global. One of the first activities suspended after the start of the pandemic was academic at all levels, and today there is no date to resume its classroom activity. Virtual learning (VL) is the solution so that millions of students can continue their academic activity normally. This research reflects the perspective of the university community in this situation of VL in times of confinement. The results obtained encourage further progress in the construction of a new academic paradigm based on VL.