Impact of COVID19 Pandemic Lockdown on Ophthalmic Screening of Preterm Neonates in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Uttarakhand

Context: A preterm birth is known to manifest with long term challenges for the developing visual system to cope with. The changes made to lifestyle, and working conditions during COVID19 pandemic with a nationwide lockdown, saw a decrease in ophthalmic cases and consultations including referrals of preterm births. Aims: This study was done to assess the impact of the lockdown on ophthalmic references of preterms in a tertiary care hospital in Uttarakhand. Settings and Design: Cross sectional hospital based study. Methods and Material: A cross sectional hospital based study wherein a preterm birth was considered a case for ophthalmic evaluation. Only preterms born in the institution were included. Those preterms born outside yet screened for ophthalmic assessment were excluded from the study. Statistical analysis used: Anova test, Chi-square test. Results: The study states a significant decrease in ophthalmic services in the lockdown period. We saw a statistically significant decline in referrals of preterm births during the lockdown period implying a decrease in preterm births. Conclusions: A change in the external environment like a lockdown with cessation of outdoor activities seemed to have a favourable impact on preterm birth, with probably either because of increase in gestational age of the preterm or conversion into a term delivery. This study should stimulate the related fields to explore factors related to preterm births through a different perspective.