ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To report a trainee's experience gained in the cataract extraction training program after the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An ophthalmologist was trained in phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in the ETAPE foundation, Eye Center, Cairo for a period of 4 weeks by three expert cataract surgeons. The training was tailored to the previous trainee's experience according to his residency logbook and supervised by one expert cataract surgeon. The training included didactic lectures, clinical observations, and hands-on practical experience. In addition, the trainee was provided with a logbook to record details of patients operated on and procedures observed. RESULTS: The trainee performed 58 phacoemulsification surgery with IOL implantation and two extracapsular cataract extraction over the 4 weeks. Seven patients underwent intraoperative complications. Surgical time (ST) improved from 48.77 ± 9.65 min in the 1stweek to 19.34 ± 1.31 min during the last week of training (P = 0.046). Poisson regression showed that patients affected by less severe cataracts were more likely to exhibit a lower incidence of complications than patients affected by more severe cataracts. In addition, patients operated on during the 1stweek were more likely to show a higher incidence of complications than those operated on during the last week. CONCLUSIONS: The 4-week surgical training effectively improved surgical confidence and micro incisional skills according to ST reduction and complication rate occurrence. Ophthalmologists benefit from enhancing their cataract skills in a short time following a well-structured cataract extraction course. This could undoubtedly lead to improved surgical outcomes for patients undergoing cataract extraction.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Visual impairment in terms of reduced visual acuity and "visual loss" has been reported as an atypical symptom in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the cumulative incidence of "visual loss" during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and review the current evidence regarding "visual loss" caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases for relevant studies published that clearly described "vision loss" and SARS-CoV-2 infection. All studies reporting concomitant "vision loss" and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. Meta-analyses were conducted using the measurement of risk and a 95% confidence interval for each study. RESULTS: Our search identified 1143 manuscripts published in the English language. After study screening, twenty-nine articles were selected: two cross-sectional studies, twenty-four case reports, and three case series. A random-effect meta-analysis demonstrated that the pooled "visual loss" cumulative incidence in COVID-19 patients was 0.16 (95% CI 0.12-0.21). The quality rating of the cross-sectional studies averaged four out of the maximum score on the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 infection might cause "visual loss". Even if the current evidence is limited, ophthalmological assessment should be promptly provided to all patients experiencing visual impairment symptoms during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact the COVID-19-related national lockdown has had on Ophthalmologic Outpatient Care in an Italian Tertiary Medical Centre. METHODS: We reviewed all the performances that were carried out as outpatient services at our department between 1 January 2020 and 30 November 2020. We compared data among four different periods: from 1 January 2020 to 17 March 2020 ("Pre-Lockdown"); from 18 March 2020 to 17 May 2020 (Lockdown); from 18 May 2020 to 2 November 2020 (Post-Lockdown) and from 3 November 2020 to 30 November 2020 (Regional Lockdown). RESULTS: The overall number of performed routine outpatient visits per day (ROVs) was 11,871 (Mean ± SD = 35.76 ± 17.81), whereas booked appointments (BAs) were 21272 (Mean ± SD = 63.86 ± 9.27), meaning a decline in the number of ROVs by 44.01%. (Mean ± SD = 28.10 ± 12.11, p<.001). Post-Lockdown and Regional Lockdown clinical activities, dropped respectively by 31 and 25.14% (38.87 ± 3.88 vs. 56.34 ± 11.06, p<.001 and 6.04 ± 4.51 vs. 56.34 ± 11.06 p<.001). The number of BAs per day decreased during the pandemic, going from a mean of 77.81 ± 2.57 booked appointments per day before the lockdown, to a mean of 53.14 ± 4.94, 61.80 ± 4.62 and 72.07 ± 1.09 appointments per day respectively during the lockdown, the post-lockdown and the regional lockdown periods. CONCLUSIONS: During the various lockdown periods, at our institution the volume of outpatient ophthalmological visits drastically dropped. This testifies the dramatic impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the supply of ophthalmic care.