A survey done among 2,355 ophthalmologists across the country, including 255 from Karnataka, by the All India Ophthalmological Society, has revealed that nearly one-third of the respondents were suffering from mild to severe depression.
According to the survey, as many as 504 have mild depression while 153 and 101 have moderate and severe depression, respectively. A total of 23 respondents have daily suicidal thoughts.
Akin to dentists who had to shut shop following government orders as their profession was risky in the wake of Covid-19, ophthalmologists also shut clinics and private practices, with only emergencies like eye injuries and eye infections being tended to. All these doctors were connected with psychologists and psychiatrists for mental health interventions.
Dr Rohit Khanna from LV Prasad Eye Hospital, and primary author of the study said, “In Karnataka, nine doctors have severe depression. These are among the ophthalmologists who responded. A total of 22 have moderate depression while 53 have mild depression. The questionnaire we sent out is a standard test used to assess depression. Among the doctors whose specialties have the highest risk are those of dentists, eye doctors and pulmonologists.”
The questionnaire sent out to the eye doctors had 50 questions like: What kind of support do you have? What kind of support is your employer providing you? Has your income been affected during the lockdown? How long can you sustain if the lockdown continues? Are you able to meet your monthly expenses?
It has also a section pertaining to mental health.The nine mental health questions had to be answered by the doctors with one of four answers - Not at all, several days, more than half the days, and everyday. The questions ranged from: Little interest or pleasure in doing activities? Feeling down or depressed or hopeless? Trouble falling asleep or sleeping too much? Feeling tired or lack of energy? Eating too much or loss of appetite? Feeling bad about yourself? Trouble concentrating in reading newspaper or watching TV?
Feeling like hurting yourself or thought that you were better off dead?
“Currently, we are providing the doctors diagnosed with depression with a contact number that connects them to a group at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, which in turn connects them to psychologists and psychiatrists. This is our way of helping them. The numbers may be higher as this is based only on the responses we have received,” Khanna said.