Teleorientation in the ophthalmology service in a public hospital from May to August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To identify presumptive diagnoses of patients treated by synchronous teleorientation in the Ophthalmology Service of Cayetano Heredia Hospital (CHH) during the COVID-19 pandemic, describing their demographic characteristics and the percentage of patients referred for a face-to-face evaluation. Method(s) A retrospective observational descriptive study with secondary analysis of a database collected from May to August 2020 consisting of patients treated with teleorientation in the Ophthalmology service at CHH. Result(s) Three hundred and eight patients were included in the analysis. The main presumptive diagnoses were dry eye syndrome (24,68%), glaucoma (18.51%), cataract (17,85%), post-operated (5,84%) and viral/bacterial conjunctivitis (5,52%). Most patients were female (64,29%) and they came from Metropolitan Lima (91,88%). The number of older adults was higher than that of non-older adults (51,29% vs 48,70%). Finally, the patients sent to the Ophthalmology service for a face-to-face appointment were 4,55%. Discussion(s) During the period of this study, the main presumptive diagnosis was dry eye syndrome. This result obtained is similar to other hospitals. The main presumptive diagnoses that required a face-to-face appointment were acute posterior vitreous detachment, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration because they needed especial examination, like measuring the intraocular pressure and fundoscopy. Older adults required assistance more frequently compared to the non-older adult group (84.41% vs 59.57%, p< 0,001). Copyright © 2022 by Begell House, Inc.