Urgent and emergent glaucoma care during the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis at a tertiary care hospital in South India.
Indian J Ophthalmol
; 69(8): 2215-2221, 2021 Aug.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1323351
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
To describe the demographic profiles, clinical characteristics, and clinical outcomes of patients presenting with glaucoma emergencies during the COVID-19 lockdown in India.METHODS:
This retrospective, cross-sectional, observational case series involved review of medical records of all patients presenting to the glaucoma service during the COVID-19 lockdown period and comparison with the previous year (March 23 to June 23, 2020 Vs 2019) in a tertiary center in India.RESULTS:
We found a 78.9% reduction in overall outpatient visits (54,345 vs. 257,339; P < 0.001) and 80.9% reduction in the number of glaucoma outpatient visits (4,788 vs. 25,083; P < 0.001). Additionally, the proportion of true glaucoma emergency visits significantly increased by 62.4% in 2020 Vs 2019 (1,408/4,788 (29.4%) vs. 4,542/25,083 (18.1%); P < 0.001). Lens-induced glaucomas were the most common glaucoma surgical emergency (13.4%) in 2020. Moreover, comparison of procedures demonstrated a proportionate decrease in incisional glaucoma surgeries (70/115 (60.86%) vs. 806/939 (85.83%); P < 0.001) and an increase in the proportion of emergency cataract surgeries (129/475 (27.15%) vs. 170/2715 (6.26%); P < 0.001) and transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (45/115 (39.13%) vs. 133/939 (14.16%); P = 0.0001) during 2020 vs. 2019.CONCLUSION:
Our study demonstrated a 62% increase in the proportion of visits that were true glaucoma emergencies. Additionally, the proportions of emergency cataract surgeries increased by 4.3 times and the proportion of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation increased by 2.8 times during the pandemic. More nonincisional procedures and less diagnostic testing were performed to minimize postoperative visits and virus transmission. Further understanding of the profile of emergencies may help in developing novel strategies to anticipate future challenges in managing glaucoma care during subsequent waves of the pandemic.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Glaucoma
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Indian J Ophthalmol
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ijo.IJO_635_21
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