Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on quality of life in a literate population in Pakistan.

Background: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, complete lockdown was imposed from 24 March 2020: offices, shopping malls, market places, etc. were affected. On 25 March, further restrictions were imposed: hospital outpatient departments were closed and there was a ban on public and private gatherings. The lockdown significantly slowed down economic activities, and halted recreational, educational and religious activities and social gatherings. Aims: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the quality of life of literate individuals in Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted from 25 April to 15 May, 2020 among literate Pakistani who understand the English language, aged 10+ years and had internet access. We selected 500 individuals to complete the McGill questionnaire online. Results: The response rate was 73% (n = 365): 49% males and 51% females. Around one third reported a moderate effect on overall quality of life. Financial life was moderately affected in 45% and both physical life and emotional life in 43% of participants. Spiritual life was excellent in 69%. However, social life was severely affected in 56%. Mild depression was felt by 47% of respondents and 48% felt strongly supported during the COVID-19 lockdown. Conclusion: The COVID-19 lockdown made little difference to the quality of life of the literate population of Pakistan. A few aspects were moderately affected and social life was badly affected. Spiritual life improved for most individuals.

An unusual rise in cases of assault in ophthalmic practice during COVID-19 lockdown in a tertiary care hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to report an unusual rise in cases of assault with ocular injury and their medicolegal implications presenting in an eye department of a tertiary care hospital during COVID-19 lockdown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective, observational case series was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi. Data were retrieved from the medicolegal records of the patients from April 1, 2019, to July 31, 2019, and similar months in 2020. We included all the patients of assault with ocular injury as alleged, registered as medicolegal cases. Patients with accidental injuries were excluded from the study. RESULTS: There was 34.3% increase in cases of assault with ocular injury as alleged with 72.35% reduction in the outpatient department patients. The ratio of cases of assault in 2019 and 2020 is 1:4.62. The mean age of the patients in the lockdown year was 33.74 ± 11.9 standard deviation (SD) and in preCOVID year 2019 was 39.74 ± 15.9 SD. Blunt trauma was experienced by 57 (66.3%) and penetrating injury in 2 (2.3%) patients. Sixteen (18.6%) patients had no ocular involvement. Home was the place of assault in 32 (37.2%) and street in 27 (31.4%) individuals. Fist was the source of assault in 46 (53.3%) and rod or stick in 15 (17.4%) individuals. CONCLUSION: There is a fourfold increase in patients of assault during 4 months of COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 as compared to the same time period in 2019. Most of these patients were young age, male gender, and uneducated. The most common place of incident was home, and fist was the most common source of infliction. Most of the injuries were superficial and had minimum effect on visual acuity.

Frequency of primary open angle glaucoma in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in different age groups. Early diagnosis of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma can prevent irreversible damage to vision. METHODS: This cross sectional study was conducted at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi from 2005 to 2006. A total of 149 glaucoma patients between the age groups of 30 to 70 years were included. Primary Open Angle Glaucoma was diagnosed on the basis of glaucomatous optic nerve damage, abnormal visual fields and optic disc cupping with or without elevated intra ocular pressure with open-angle on gonioscopy SPSSv.8 was used for data entry and descriptive analysis. RESULTS: The total patients in less than 40 years of age group were 2 (1.34%), in 41-50 years age group were 29 (19.46%), in 51-60 years of age group were 47 (31.54%), and in 61-70 years age group were 71 (47.65%). CONCLUSION: The results show that there is a high frequency of primary open angle glaucoma among people over age of fifty years. Therefore this population in particular, should be monitored carefully for open angle glaucoma, as early diagnosis and therapy may decrease visual morbidity.