Purpose: To detect the presence of viral RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in conjunctival swab specimens of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients. Methods: Forty-five COVID-19 patients positive for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab with or without ocular manifestations were included in the study. The conjunctival swab of each patient was collected by an ophthalmologist posted for COVID duty. Results: Out of 45 patients, 35 (77.77%) were males and the rest were females. The mean age was 31.26 ± 12.81 years. None of the patients had any ocular manifestations. One (2.23%) out of 45 patients was positive for RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctival swab. Conclusion: This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in conjunctival swabs of confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients. Though the positivity rate of detecting SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs is very less, care should be exercised during the ocular examination of patients of COVID-19.

To evaluate the clinical profile and visual outcome of optic neuritis patients presenting to a tertiary eyecare centre.It is a retrospective hospital-based study carried out over a period 5 years between 2013 to 2018 in a tertiary eyecare centre in South India. Case records of 20 patients diagnosed and treated for optic neuritis were evaluated based on clinical profile, type of presentation and visual outcome.Patients had a mean age was 34.7±13.5 years. 60% presented in age group of 20-40years. Male preponderance was seen (65% of cases). Papillitis (65% of eyes) was more common than retrobulbar neuritis (35% of eyes). Unilateral involvement was seen in 85% of cases with Bilateral presentation seen in only 15% cases. Baseline visual acuity in 10(43%) patients was in the range of Counting fingers to <6/60, 3(13%) patients had vision>= 6/60, 5(22%) patients had Hand movements positive and 5(22%) had Perception of light positive. Periocular pain was seen in 8(40%) of the cases. 13(56%) patients had defective colour vision. 16(70%) patients had Grade 3-4 RAPD while the remaining had grade 1-2 RAPD. One patient was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Recurrence was seen in 1 patient (5%). After treatment with 3 doses of 1gm IV Methylprednisolone 15 patients (74% of eyes) showed improvement in vision, 7 eyes (35%) had improvement in colour vision, 4 eyes (20%) had improvement in pupillary reaction after 3 doses of IV Methylprednisolone.Optic neuritis is idiopathic in nature. Papillitis is the commonest presentation when compared to Retrobulbar neuritis.

The aim of this study was to measure the intraocular pressure (IOP) by Perkins hand held tonometer, non contact tonometer(NCT) and rebound tonometer with the Gold standard GAT and to analyse their correlation with varied CCT. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional, hospital-based study that included 200 patients from the glaucoma department. After complete eye evaluation, the IOP measurement was performed sequentially in the same order-NCT, RT, Perkin's and GAT. CCT was then measured for all the patients. The intraocular pressure within the eyes was compared by paired "t" test and between the right and left eyes were compared by the independent "t" test. Results: Mean age of the patients was 54.5±13.5 years. The mean IOP of Right and Left eyes measured with GAT were 15.9±6.2 and 16.3±7.0 mm/Hg, that with Perkins were 15.7±6.2 and 16.3±7.0 mm/Hg respectively. Both eyes' mean IOP were 15.4±6.7 and 15.9±7.4 mm/Hg by Icare. The mean IOP measured by NCT were 16.4±6.7 and 16.9±8.0 mm/Hg. The mean CCT of right eye was 528.9± 29.6 and left eye was 530.6±29.6 microns. All the four instruments namely GAT, Perkin's, Icare ic100 and NCT were influenced by CCT. Conclusions: IOP remains the only alterable factor in the management of glaucoma patients. Numerous methods have been devised to measure IOP accurately. The IOP measured with Perkin's, NCT and Icare are comparable but GAT remains the gold standard.

BACKGROUND Pseudoexfoliation syndrome is the most common identifiable cause of open angle glaucoma worldwide. Pseudoexfoliation glaucoma develops in 50 % of patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical profile, intraocular pressure (IOP), gonioscopic findings, disc changes and need for medical or surgical line of management for the control of pseudoexfoliation glaucoma. METHODS It was a prospective hospital based interventional study of 68 consecutive patients diagnosed with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, who presented to the glaucoma clinic at a tertiary care centre from Nov 2017 to Mar 2019. RESULTS 68 patients diagnosed with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma were evaluated during the study period from November 2017 to March 2019. Male predominance of 43 (63 %) was noticed. Mean age group of study population was 68 years with 44 (65 %) of patients in age group of 61 – 75 years. 55 cases had bilateral pseudoexfoliation. 85 (69 %) eyes had a pressure of > 21 mm of Hg. 97 (79 %) eyes had open angles, 4 (3 %) occludable angles, 22 (18 %) had closed angles. 4 (3 %) of eyes had cup disc ratio < 0.5, 49 (40 %) eyes had cup disc ratio of 0.5 - 0.7, 64 (52 %) had > 0.7 cupping. 38 (31 %) eyes were controlled on medical therapy with topical antiglaucoma medications. In 14 (11 %), eyes were treated with Nd: YAG PI (neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet peripheral laser iridotomy) with medical treatment, 59 (48 %) eyes were taken up for triple procedure. 10 (8 %) eyes could not be controlled using medical therapy and had to be taken for surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS Pseudoexfoliation glaucoma leads to irreversible visual loss if high IOP is not treated leading to glaucomatous optic nerve damage and visual field loss. The response to medical therapy is poor and needs surgical intervention. KEYWORDS Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma, Intraocular Pressure, Optic Nerve Damage, Dandruff Like Material