Purpose: To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown on patient care at a tertiary-care ophthalmology institute. Methods: Records of all the patients who presented from March 25 th to May 3 rd , 2020 were scanned to evaluate the details regarding the presenting complaints, diagnosis, advised treatment and surgical interventions. Results: The number of outpatient department visits, retinal laser procedures, intravitreal injections and cataract surgeries during this lockdown decreased by 96.5%, 96.5%, 98.7% and 99.7% respectively compared from the corresponding time last year. Around 38.8% patients could be triaged as non-emergency cases based on history alone while 59.5% patients could be triaged as non-emergency cases after examination. Only eighty-four patients opted for video-consultation from April 15 th to May 3 rd , 2020. Nine patients presented with perforated corneal ulcer, but could not undergo penetrating keratoplasty due to the lack to available donor corneal tissue. One of these patients had to undergo evisceration due to disease progression. Two patients with open globe injury presented late after trauma and had to undergo enucleation. Around 9% patients could not undergo the advised urgent procedure due to logistical issues related to the lockdown. Conclusion: A significant number of patients could not get adequate treatment during the lockdown period. Hospitals need to build capacity to cater to the expected patient surge post-COVID-19-era, especially those requiring immediate in-person attention. A large number of patients can be classified as non-emergency cases. These patients need to be encouraged to follow-up via video-consultation to carve adequate in-person time for the high-risk patients.

Purpose; Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is an ophthalmologic emergency and involvement of both eyes is rare. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of presentation of bilateral RAO in south India and the associated systemic disorders.Methods; A retrospective review of the medical records of patients with bilateral RAO seen at a tertiary eye hospital in south India over a period of eight years was carried out. The patients’ demographic and clinical data were extracted from the case files, and analysed using Epi Info statistical software.Results; Six hundred and seventy-four eyes of 662 patients were seen with RAO during the period of the study with 12 (1.8%) patients having bilateral involvement. The mean age of the patients was 58.3 years and males comprised 66.7%. There were 22 (91.7%) eyes with CRAO, and two (8.4%) with branch RAO. Three (25%) patients had simultaneous RAO. The median interval for involvement of the fellow eye was 90 days. Hypertension and diabetes were the most common associated systemic disorders.Conclusion; Bilateral RAO is very rare and usually nonsimultaneous. Patients need to be aware of the possibility of involvement of the fellow eye after a unilateral RAO, and the importance of seeking medical care promptly if this occurs.