Challenges and impact of COVID-19 lockdown on Indian optometry practice: A survey-based study

Karthikeyan, Siddharth K; Nandagopal, Pooja; Ramasubramanian, Vivek Suganthan; Nayak, Anush

doi:10.1016/j.optom.2020.10.006

Cited by 8 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Optometrists require to be in close proximity to the patient to perform many of its tests and examinations, making it more difficult and challenging to attend to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. 19 19. K Karthikeyan S, Nandagopal P, R V, Nayak A.…”

Section: Workplace Safetymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A shock that has brought about some challenges for managers of POP, such as the cost of maintaining a safe working space, reduced income, supply chain and staffing issues. 19,20,21 The COVID-19 pandemic also created a renewed call for digital integration, with emphasis on tele-optometry and the sales of optical products via online channel. 19,21,22,23,24 The COVID-19 pandemic also created stress and anxiety for many optometrists especially optometrists who are managers/owners of their practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…19,20,21 The COVID-19 pandemic also created a renewed call for digital integration, with emphasis on tele-optometry and the sales of optical products via online channel. 19,21,22,23,24 The COVID-19 pandemic also created stress and anxiety for many optometrists especially optometrists who are managers/owners of their practice. 22,25 It appears no study has been done on the impact of COVID-19 on POP in Africa from a management perspective, and one that also provides useful strategies to overcoming the challenges due to the COVID-19.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Experience of Managers of Private Optometry Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria.

Osayamwen¹

2022

Jrnl Nig Opto Assoc.

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Purpose: To provide an in-depth understanding of the experience of managers of private optometry practice in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The study adopted a qualitative research design with a phenomenological research strategy. Through semi-structured interviews, the experiences of six managers of private optometry practice in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic were studied and thematically analysed.Results: Data collected through the interviews identified interesting themes and sub-themes. ‘Impact of COVID-19’ emerged as a central theme, while ‘workplace safety’, ‘reduced income’, ‘digital integration’, ‘supply chain and staffing issues’ emerged as sub-themes. The result shows that the participants faced challenges such as the cost of maintaining a safe working space, reduced income, supply chain and staffing issues. The need for digital integration in private optometry practice, versatile staff, and the diversification of supplier networks emerged as key strategies to overcoming the challenges.Conclusion: Managers of private optometry practice have been faced with some challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study has identified strategies that can help minimise the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other future crises.

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Section: Workplace Safetymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Experience of Managers of Private Optometry Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria.

Osayamwen¹

2022

Jrnl Nig Opto Assoc.

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“…A study conducted in Pakistan during the pandemic showed that teleconsultation could maintain about a tenth of weekly pre-lockdown ophthalmological services [24]. Indian optometrists also shifted towards teleconsultations during the pandemic [25]. In Singapore, some eye care institutions have adopted a model where community optometrists are empowered to follow up with patients with eye diseases, thereby reducing patient traffic at tertiary eye centres [13].…”

Section: Decentralised Ophthalmic Care and Teleophthalmologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Eye Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Report on Patients’ Perceptions and Experiences, an Asian Perspective

et al. 2021

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Introduction To elucidate the perceptions on eye care of patients affected by the disruption of outpatient and surgical ophthalmological services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted during the reopening of outpatient services at two tertiary eye care centres in Singapore and North India. Consecutive patients were recruited from general and specialist eye clinics in June 2020. Results A total of 326 patients were recruited, 200 patients from Singapore and 126 patients from New Delhi, India. The most common eye conditions were diabetic retinopathy and uveitis or ocular inflammatory conditions in the Indian centre, whereas the most common in the Singaporean centre were cataract in the pre- or postoperative stage and glaucoma. For patients from the Indian centre, 61.9% felt that COVID-19 had negatively impacted their eye disease, 58.7% were more distressed by their eye disease, 70.8% could not access appropriate eye care, 66.6% were afraid of contracting COVID-19 in the clinic, and 61.9% were accepting of teleconsultations. For patients from the Singaporean centre, 13.5% felt that COVID-19 had negatively impacted their eye disease, 19.5% were more distressed by their eye disease, 21.5% could not access appropriate eye care, 35% were afraid of contracting COVID-19 in the clinic, and only 31% were accepting of teleconsultations. Conclusion Patients from India appear to have been more negatively affected by the pandemic compared to patients from Singapore. This study highlights patients’ perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on eye care, perceived risks, ease of access to care and attitudes towards eye care during the pandemic. Patients’ perceptions are integral in developing strategies for the best care possible. There were heterogeneous responses amongst our patients; hence, there may be a role for more individualized healthcare strategies in the future. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40123-021-00444-0.

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“…In eyecare, decreased utilization of services was reported by ophthalmologists[ 13 ] and optometrists,[ 14 ] across the country. Barriers to eyecare utilization have been reported on extensively in pre-COVID-19 settings and can largely be classified as personal (lack of perceived need, fear, distance/travel, awareness, fatalism, lack of escort), economic (lack of money, opportunity costs, affordability), social (other obligations, not the primary decision maker, stigma, hearsay regarding services),[ 15 16 ] and service related (cost/affordability, accessibility).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of eyecare utilization at two service delivery levels during the COVID-19 pandemic as a measure of their impact: A multicentric retrospective analysis across four North Indian high-volume eyecare organizations

Sabherwal

Sood

Kuyyadiyil

et al. 2022

Indian Journal of Ophthalmology

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of the tertiary centers (TCS) and vision centers (VCs) of the four organizations participating in this research, once the lockdown was lifted, and to compare it with the performance during the same period of the previous year. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study assessing eyecare utilization in the first 2 months after resumption of services post the lockdown in 2020 and comparing that across the same time period in 2019. Anonymized data containing basic demographic details, proportions of patient visits and their reasons, as well as referral information was collected. The drop percentage method was used, and P values were calculated using paired t -tests. Results: Four TCs and 60 VCs were included. Overall, outpatient attendance dipped 51.2% at TCs and 27.5% at VCs, across the 2 years. At both levels of care delivery, the percentage drop in females was more than that in males; however, the overall drop at VCs was less than that at TCs, for both sexes. Eyecare utilization in pediatric populations dropped significantly more than in adult populations, across the overall sample. There was no significant change in referrals for refractive error as a proportion of total outpatients, although there was a significant decline in the same for cataract and specialty treatment. Conclusion: VCs are valuable and successful model for eyecare delivery especially in the continued aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Challenges and impact of COVID-19 lockdown on Indian optometry practice: A survey-based study

Cited by 8 publications

References 42 publications

The Experience of Managers of Private Optometry Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria.

The Experience of Managers of Private Optometry Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria.

Eye Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Report on Patients’ Perceptions and Experiences, an Asian Perspective

Comparison of eyecare utilization at two service delivery levels during the COVID-19 pandemic as a measure of their impact: A multicentric retrospective analysis across four North Indian high-volume eyecare organizations

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