Browsing by Author "Namrata Sharma"

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All India Ophthalmological Society Financial Impact Survey on ophthalmology practice in India during COVID-19
(Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2021) Divya Agarwal; Rohit Saxena; Rajesh Sinha; Deepak Mishra; Mahipal S. Sachdev; Namrata Sharma
Purpose: A survey was conducted by the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) to document the initial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related financial impact on ophthalmology practice in India. It also assessed various measures taken by ophthalmologists and the possible role of AIOS in mitigating the economic crisis. Methods: An online questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among its registered members from July to August 2020. The prevalidated questionnaire contained 25 items related to the impact of COVID-19 on patient volume, the extent of financial distress faced by the ophthalmologists, and various proactive measures taken by them. All valid responses were tabulated and analyzed. Results: Out of 1,026 respondents, more than 90% ophthalmologists faced a 25% or more reduction in outpatient and surgical volume. Nearly 59% reported that they can suffer from serious financial distress in near future due to COVID-19 pandemic-related losses. Those who are young (P < 0.0005), salaried (P < 0.0005), and practicing in private sector (P < 0.0005) and Tier 1 cities (P < 0.0005) are reported to be more vulnerable to become financially unstable. The major concerns were revenue losses (70%), preexisting debts (39%), and increased operating costs (27%). The majority (90%) believed that AIOS can help in alleviating the distress. There was also hesitancy regarding the adoption of teleophthalmology and home-based care. Conclusion: COVID-19 has significantly affected the financial sustainability of ophthalmologists practicing in India. Identification of vulnerable groups and timely advocacy efforts by AIOS can help in mitigating this financial crisis. © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.
Antibiotic prophylaxis for cataract surgery -Practice patterns amongst Indian Ophthalmologists
(Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2023) Aditya S. Kelkar; Namrata Sharma; Lalit Verma; Shraddha A. Chandorkar; Rohit Saxena; Deepak Mishra; Jai A. Kelkar; Sabhyasachi Sengupta
Purpose: To assess the current trends in use of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis, especially intracameral antibiotics (ICAB), for cataract surgery in India. Methods: This was an E-survey using a previously validated questionnaire carried out by the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) in August 2022. An E-mail invitation to complete an online 40-point survey was sent to all members of the AIOS using a digital E-mail service (Survey Monkey) and social media platforms. Results: Out of 1804 total respondents, 58% (n = 1022) reported using routine ICAB prophylaxis. Of those using ICAB, 89% (n = 909) reported using it for all cases, whereas the rest used it for specific indications such as post-PC rent (n = 43), one eyed patient (n = 19), and high-risk cases (n = 50). Commercially available moxifloxacin was by far the commonest agent used for ICAB (n = 686, 67%). Eighty respondents (8%) reported noticing occasional toxic reactions and nontoxic corneal edema (n = 64, 6%) with ICAB. Surgeons with >10 years' experience especially practicing in medical colleges used fewer ICAB (OR = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.38 - 0.72, P < 0,001) compared to younger surgeons (<5-year experience) in solo clinics. The commonest reason for nonadoption of IC antibiotics was 'unconvinced of the need to use it in my setting' (n = 296, 52% of those who answered this question). Conclusion: IC antibiotic prophylaxis for cataract surgery has significantly increased in India from 40% in 2017 to 58% in 2022. Commercially available moxifloxacin was preferred by the majority users. Intraocular inflammation may occur occasionally and needs safer formulations to avoid this. © 2023 Indian Journal of Ophthalmology.
Low-dose atropine 0.01% for the treatment of childhood myopia: A pan-India multicentric retrospective study
(BMJ Publishing Group, 2024) Rohit Saxena; Vinay Gupta; Rebika Dhiman; Elizabeth Joseph; Sumita Agarkar; R. Neena; Damaris Magdalene; Jitendra Jethani; Sandra C. Ganesh; Minal Patil; Pooja Gogri; Shailesh Gadaginamath; Pradhnya Sen; Jaspreet Sukhija; Deepak Mishra; Jyoti H. Matalia; Anupam Sahu; Smita Kapoor; Shruti Nishanth; Shweta Chaurasia; Neelam Pawar; Nilutparna Deori; Viswanathan Sivaraman; Anamika Bordoloi; Shailja Tibrewal; Davinder Singh; Priyanka Prasad; Swati Phuljhele; Namrata Sharma
Objective The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of low-dose atropine 0.01% in controlling myopia progression among Indian children over a 2-year period. Methods This retrospective study, conducted across 20 centres in India, monitored the progression of myopia over 2 years after initiating treatment with 0.01% atropine eye drops. This included children between 6 and 14 years with baseline myopia ranging from -0.5 D to -6 D, astigmatism≤-1.5 D, anisometropia ≤ -1 D and documented myopia progression of ≥0.5 D in the year prior to starting atropine. Subjects with any other ocular pathologies were excluded. Results A total of 732 children were included in the data analysis. The mean age of the subjects was 9.3±2.7 years. The mean myopia progression at baseline (1 year before starting atropine) was -0.75±0.31 D. The rate of myopia progression was higher in younger subjects and those with higher baseline myopic error. After initiating atropine, myopia progression significantly decreased to -0.27±0.14 D at the end of the first year and -0.24±0.15 D at the end of the second year (p<0.001). Younger children (p<0.001) and higher baseline myopia (p<0.001) was associated with greater myopia progression and poor treatment response (p<0.001 for both). Conclusion Low-dose atropine (0.01%) effectively reduces myopia progression over 2 years in Indian children. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Post-lockdown challenges for ophthalmologists during COVID-19 pandemic in India: A survey-based analysis
(Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2021) Madhav Goel; Sonu Goel; Mahipal Sachdev; Namrata Sharma; Deepak Mishra; Gautam Yadav; Nabanita Barua; Sulakshna Aggarwal
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the post-lockdown challenges during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic amongst the ophthalmologists in India. Methods: An online survey was sent to the practicing ophthalmologists across India. Data were collected from the responding ophthalmologists and analysed using Medcalc 16.4 software. Results: A total of 794 responses were obtained. Most respondents (51%) were in the age group 30-50 years and were in independent practice (40.05%). Almost three-fourth of ophthalmologists resumed their surgical services after a gap of more than a month post-lockdown. Almost a third of the respondents had significant reduction in their surgical workload during this period. Significant fear of contracting COVID-19 infection in the operation theatres was reported while moderate difficulty was found in procuring protective gear during immediate post-national lockdown period. Conclusion: The pandemic has changed the ophthalmic practice significantly, with patient and staff safety becoming areas of major concern. Both financial and psychological concerns affecting healthcare workers need addressing for continued patient care. © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.