Bilateral multifocal choroiditis with disc edema in a 15-year-old girl following COVID-19 vaccination.

A few cases of posterior uveitis following COVID-19 vaccination have been reported but none in the pediatric age group. A 15-year-old girl presented with history of headache and bilateral blurred vision of five days duration. The symptoms developed five days after vaccination with the first dose of Covaxin (inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine). Her anterior segment was normal in both eyes (BE), whereas the posterior segment showed mild vitritis with disc edema and multiple yellowish lesions at the level of choroid clustered at the macula and associated with multiple serous detachments. BE uveitis resolved, and the vision was completely recovered three weeks after treatment with steroids. Hence, ophthalmologists should be aware of uveitis following vaccination-a condition that is usually benign, transient, and results in excellent outcomes with timely diagnosis and early treatment with steroids.

Effects of Excessive Usage of Electronic Gadgets during COVID-19 Lockdown on Health of College Students: An Online Cross-Sectional Study

The use of electronic gadgets, especially mobile phones among youth, has been a growing global concern. The worldwide COVID-19 lockdown has only amplified the issue. The extended period of lockdown and virtual classes has increased college students' time on their electronic gadgets. The debilitating health effect of excessive usage of gadgets has been well established. There are an array of effects like headache, nausea, ophthalmological concerns and psychological outcomes associated with gadget use for extended periods. The study aims to understand the difference in time spent using gadgets before and during the lockdown and the associated health impacts. The study included 348 participants (n=348), consisting of 183 female and 165 male participants. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire through Google forms from college students after obtaining consent. The results suggested that the average time spent on gadgets increased from 4.75hrs/day before lockdown to 11.36hrs/day during lockdown among participants. Most health complaints like headaches, insomnia, eye complaints, tiredness and restlessness were associated with gadget use during the lockdown. The percentage of participants experiencing these complaints during lockdown was also significantly higher than before lockdown. By understanding the effects of gadget use, it would be possible to create interventions and suggest ways to manage the excessive use of gadgets. It is of prime importance to handle the issue considering the quality of life and wellbeing of students.

Optimal diagnostic tool for surveillance of oesophageal varices during COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM: To study the diagnostic accuracy and utility of triphasic abdominal computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis and grading of oesophageal varices (OVs) as an alternative to endoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective analysis was undertaken of retrospective data from cirrhotic patients who underwent oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (OGD) and a triphasic abdominal CT from January to December 2019. Endoscopists and radiologists provided their respective independent assessment of OV grading after being blinded to the clinical details. Performance of CT grading of OVs was compared with the reference standard endoscopic grading using weighted kappa (k). Non-invasive scores such, as aspartate transaminase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) Index, platelet: spleen (PS) ratio were correlated between the two techniques. RESULTS: OV grading between endoscopists and radiologists showed 81.73% agreement (85 out of 104 patients) in the comparative analysis of 104 cirrhotic patients, of which no varices (57.1%, n=4), small (85.1%, n=23), medium (72.2%%, n=26), and large varices (94.1%, n=32) with a weighted k score of 0.88 (95% confidence interval 0.82-0.94). Overall, the sensitivity of CT in the diagnosis of no, small, medium, and large OVs was 66.6%, 79.3%, 89.6%, and 94.1%, respectively, with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) score of 0.775, 0.887, 0.839, and 0.914. Performance of APRI, FIB-4, and PS ratio correlated well with the severity of OVs with no difference between OGD and CT grading. CONCLUSION: Triphasic abdominal CT can be an invaluable tool in the diagnosis and grading of OVs during the COVID-19 pandemic.