Purpose: This study aimed to subjectively identify the potential combined visual effects of using face masks and digital devices during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Methods: A survey was conducted using google forms through different social media platforms. The questions were framed about knowing the type of mask used, duration of mask wear, and digital device usage. In addition, OSDI and SPEED questionnaires were used. Results: Overall, 471 responses were analyzed; n=271 (57.5%) were females. Males tend to have more eye fatigue and difficulty in driving than females. There is no statistically significant association between dry eye symptoms or OSDI and SPEED scores among double mask users. N95 and cloth masks are closely associated with dry eye symptoms among single mask wearers. Among the combined effects of mask wear and digital device usage assessed, mask worn for at least three days, with less than 4 hours of duration and less than 4 hours of digital device usage, have ocular symptoms. Conclusion: Overall, mask usage negatively influences tear film stability, causing dry eye. Double mask wear is recommended to prevent mask-associated dry eye.

Purpose. The continuous use of mask wear from pandemic induces instability in tear film due to the air blown up from the mask. The study’s objective was to assess the effect of type of mask wear and duration, including short-term wear of mask on TBUT.Design and methods. This was a cross-sectional, comparative study. A total of 90 (180 eyes) subjects (76 females) were involved in the study and were categorized into three groups, each comprising 30 subjects. Either the groups were given a surgical, cloth, or N95 masks to wear. Baseline TBUT was collected after 30 mins without mask wear; next TBUT was measured immediately after 1 min of mask wear and subsequently after every 30 mins for 3.5 hours among all the three groups. TBUT changes within the groups and between the groups were compared using Friedman ANOVA and the Kruskal Wallis test.Results. There was a significant decline in TBUT after 30 mins of mask wear only among surgical & cloth mask users and was stable in N95 wearers. There is no influence on TBUT for 1.5 hours among all the mask wearers. However, a subsequent continuous significant difference was evident from 2 hours among surgical and cloth mask users and at 3.5 hours within N95 users. N95 wearers have a higher TBUT, and surgical have the least TBUT.Conclusion. Surgical mask wears significantly influence tear film stability, followed by cloth mask wear because of air leak from nose wire. TBUT is minimally affected by N95 wear.

Introduction:Identifying Barr bodies' presence has a significant diagnostic value in multifaceted science disciplines. Testing Barr bodies was important in diagnosing infertility, a syndromic association such as Klinefelter and psychopathic disorders, and disorders of sex development (DSD). It also plays a role in cancer detection in the uterine cervix, identifying transplanted retinal pigment epithelium in porcine models. Identifying the gender of victims or criminals becomes a fundamental requirement in any forensic analysis of a crime scene. The current study hypothesizes identifying the gender using Barr body detection from collected contact lens samples and tries to establish disposed soft contact lenses to consider as evidence found at the crime scene.Methods: A total of 120 (60 males and 60 females) were included in the study; from each subject, contact lens and Buccal samples were collected using sterile wooden toothpicks and soft contact lenses after insertion and removal. Both the buccal and contact lens samples were built into two smears staining with Saffranine and Methylene blue stains. The smears underwent cytological assessment by two examiners using a binocular microscope at 40X. The details of findings were graded on a scale of 1 to 5 based on visualization of Barr bodies seen. Results:The mean rank and median grading scores for higher using saffranine among females across both the samples. The sensitivity is higher at 100% for both the stains among contact lens samples, and specificity is higher among buccal samples, 93% for saffranine and 90% for methylene blue. Conclusion:Overall, it is conspicuous that contact lenses can be considered as evidence found at the crime scene in identifying the gender using Barr body detection.

The study's objective was to assess the effect of type of mask wear and duration, including short-term wear of mask on TBUT. This was a cross-sectional, comparative study. A total of 90 subjects were categorized into three groups, each comprising 30 subjects. Either the groups were given a surgical, cloth, or N95 masks to wear. Baseline TBUT was collected after 30 mins without mask wear; subsequently after 1 min of mask wear and after every 30 mins for 3.5 hours among all the three groups. TBUT changes within the groups and between the groups were compared using Friedman ANOVA and the Kruskal Wallis test. TBUT was stable among N95 wearers for first 30 minutes and declined among cloth & surgical mask users. A continuous significant difference was evident only from 2 hours among surgical and cloth mask users and at 3.5 hours within N95 users. N95 wearers have a higher TBUT, and surgical having the least. Surgical mask wears significantly influence tear film stability, followed by cloth mask wear because of air leak from nose wire. TBUT is minimally affected by N95 wear.