Association of digital device usage and dry eye disease in school children.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of digital device use (computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones) on dry eye disease (DED) in a pediatric population. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. School children studying in grades 5-9 at two private schools in the city of Ahmedabad, the capital city of Gujarat, India were invited to participate in the study. METHODS: In this study, 462 children underwent ocular examination including tear film breakup time (TBUT) and Schirmer's test. Questionnaires were administered for collecting information on the type and duration of digital device usage separately for academic and leisure activities and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 11.2 + 1.4 years, and 63% were boys. The mean OSDI score was 37.2 + 11.8, and 90.5% had symptoms of DED. Children with moderate to severe DED (n = 88, 19%) had longer daily duration of device use and lower Schirmer's test and TBUT values compared to children with mild DED (P = 0.001). A cumulative exposure time of more than 3-3.5 h per day had a significantly increased risk of DED. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that increment in computer usage (odds ratio [OR] 1.94 for every half an hour increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-3.1) and children studying in higher grades (OR 1.30, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6) had a higher risk of moderate to severe dry eye. CONCLUSION: Cumulative device exposure time of more than 3-3.5 h per day had a significantly increased risk of pediatric DED. Children with an increment in computer usage by half an hour per day had a higher chance of experiencing moderate to severe dry eye. Policymakers should aim to restrict the screen time below 3 h on a daily basis.

Amniotic membrane transplant in acute ocular surface burns in Western India: A tertiary eye care center study.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of early amniotic membrane transplant (AMT) in acute ocular surface burns using Dua's classification. Methods: In this retrospective analysis conducted at a tertiary eye care center in Western India. We included 27 eyes of 24 patients from May 2014 to May 2019 who underwent AMT within 2 weeks post insult along with medical treatment for acute ocular surface burns using Dua's classification for grading on presentation. Post-operative assessment for ocular surface epithelization, corneal vascularization, symblepharon formation, and visual outcome at the time of complete epithelization was done. Results: Eight, seven, three, and nine eyes with grade III, IV, V, and VI, respectively, were included in the study. The mean duration of the presentation was 5.5 ± 3.6 days, with the mean follow-up of 4.83 ± 2.2 months. Alkali burn (62.96%, 17/27 eyes) was the commonest. The mean epithelization time was 5.80 ± 2.92 weeks. Corneal vascularization for >6 clock hours was seen in 52.38% (11/21 eyes with vascularization). Symblepharon was seen in 55.55% (15/27 eyes). Vision improvement and corneal vascularization to a lesser extent (<6 clock hours) was observed in Group A (grades III and IV) as compared to group B (grades V and VI) and found to be significant (P-value = 0.031, P value = 0.007, respectively). Conclusion: Amniotic membrane grafting is a useful aid in moderate grades of acute ocular surface burns with an important adjunct role in severe cases.

The grave necessity to make eye bank specular microscopy mandatory in all eye banks in the subcontinent to improve utilization of scarce donor corneas.

CONTEXT: Donor tissue scarcity, Eye Bank Specular Microscopy as yet not made mandatory and tissue utilization often based on clinical judgment only. AIMS: Prospectively analyze alteration in clinical grading of donor corneas and hence utilization, based on Eye Bank Specular Microscopy (EBSM) and to infer if EBSM should be mandatory in all eye banks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 200 consecutive otherwise 'suitable for surgery' donor eyes were graded clinically. On quantitative and qualitative analysis of endothelial cells by EBSM, final grading was adjusted. Impact on subsequent utilization for various surgeries was analyzed with regard to Age of Donor, Death to Enucleation Time, Death to Preservation Time and Lens Status of Donor Eye. RESULTS: 76 eyes (38%) (P < 0.05) had significant change in grading. 12/59 (20.30%) tissues from donors <=40 years showed Cell Density (CD) between 1801-2500. 19/76 (25%) tissues from donor >60 years showed CD >= 2500. From donor >=81 years, 2/13 (15.3%) eyes showed CD between 2501-3000 and 1 (7.6%) eye showed CD > 3000. Owing to better grading after EBSM, 13/14 (92.85%) tissues with DTET >6 hours and 5/5 (100%) tissues with DTPT > 16 hours were transplanted. Out of 45 (22.5%) pseudo-phakic tissues, 21 (46.67%) tissues were used for Therapeutic/Tectonic Penetrating Keratoplasty (PKP) while 24 (53.33%) tissues were used for Optical PKP. CONCLUSIONS: EBSM significantly alters final grading of tissues and its subsequent utilization. Acquiring huge importance in areas where adequate supply of corneas is lacking, EBSM becomes an indispensable tool for optimizing availability of qualified tissues for surgery. EBSM should be made a mandatory analysis.