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Bonilla-Escobar FJ, Sánchez-Cano D, Lasave AF, Soria J, Franco-Cárdenas V, Reviglio VE, Dantas PEC, Palacio Pastrana C, Corbera JC, Chan RY, Diaz AL, Garcia Hernandez M, Maia M, Carpentier C, Wu L, Sanchez M, Murillo Sasamoto M, Murillo Azcárraga G, Roca JA, Serrano MA, Alezzandrini AA, Sanchez Montoya JG, Gabela G, Garcia-Aguirre G, Arevalo JF. Early-Phase Perceptions of COVID-19's Impact on Ophthalmology Practice Patterns: A Survey from the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology. Clin Ophthalmol 2023; 17:3249-3259. [PMID: 37927574 PMCID: PMC10625333 DOI: 10.2147/opth.s434776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic affected medical practice worldwide due to interventions to prevent spreading. Its effect on ophthalmology practices in Latin America has not yet been explored. We aimed to assess the perceptions about the pandemic from countries' ophthalmological national and subspecialty retina societies affiliated to the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO). Patients and Methods A survey-based study of leaders of national ophthalmological and retinal societies was conducted. The survey was sent by email to 30 societies, from which 20 responded (12 countries, 66.6% response rate). It included closed- and open-ended questions about (1) operational capacity and precautions, (2) telemedicine and virtual care, (3) procedures, and (4) post-pandemic considerations. Results There was a marked decline in ophthalmology patient visits (80-95%) and elective surgeries (90%) during 2020 compared to before the pandemic. Precautions like temperature checks, mask usage, and social distancing were widely implemented while personal protective equipment (PPE) availability varied. Telemedicine use was limited due to lack of experience with it. Reopening plans focused on maintaining precautions and gradually resuming activities. Economic and security concerns were raised, and adherence to guidelines was emphasized. Respondents acknowledged the need to adapt to a "new normal". Long duration drugs, fewer imaging studies, and shorter wait times were preferred; however, availability of long duration drugs was limited. Conclusion The pandemic impacted ophthalmology in Latin America, with reduced patient visits, procedures, and surgeries. Delayed treatment and complications were likely the result of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Bonilla-Escobar
- Fundación Somos Ciencia al Servicio de la Comunidad, Fundación SCISCO/Science to Serve the Community Foundation, SCISCO Foundation, Cali, Colombia
- Ophthalmology Department, Institute for Clinical Research Education, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Vision y Salud Ocular, VISOC, Ophthalmology Department, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Daniel Sánchez-Cano
- Fundación Somos Ciencia al Servicio de la Comunidad, Fundación SCISCO/Science to Serve the Community Foundation, SCISCO Foundation, Cali, Colombia
| | - Andres F Lasave
- The Retina and Vitreous Department, Private Eyes Clinic, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Jaime Soria
- Ophthalmology Department, Clínica Real Visión, Uniofken, CIVE y Funcrisa, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | | | - Victor E Reviglio
- Ophthalmology Department, Instituto de la Visión Cerro, Sanatorio Allende Cerro & Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Health Science Faculty, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Paulo E C Dantas
- Ophthalmology Department, Sorocaba Eye Bank Hospital, Sorocaba, Brazil
| | - Claudia Palacio Pastrana
- Department of Microsurgery of the Anterior Segment, Fundación Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Luz IAP, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Rita Yee Chan
- Ophthalmology Department, Clinica Nacional de Oftalmologia, Panama City, Panama
| | - Alberto Luis Diaz
- Ophthalmology Department, Complejo Medico FOSCAL Internacional, Floridablanca, Santander, Colombia
| | | | - Mauricio Maia
- Ophthalmology Department, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristian Carpentier
- Ophthalmology Department, Fundación Oftalmológica Los Andes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lihteh Wu
- Retina Department, Asociados de Macula Vitreo y Retina de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
| | - Martin Sanchez
- Ophthalmology Department, Hospital de Minas, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | | | - Jose A Roca
- Ophthalmology Department, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Martin A Serrano
- Retina Department, Centro Médico Docente La Trinidad, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Arturo A Alezzandrini
- Ophthalmology Department, OFTALMOS, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Gonzalo Sanchez Montoya
- Ophthalmology Department, Instituto Nacional de Investigacion en Oftalmologia –INIO and Clinica Oftalmologica de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Gregorio Gabela
- Ophthalmology Department, Hospital Metropolitano, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Gerardo Garcia-Aguirre
- Retina Department, School of Medicine, Tecnológico de Monterrey Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - J Fernando Arevalo
- Ophthalmology Department, Johns Hopkins University, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Hussaindeen JR. Commentary: I want to see clearly - The voice of an ophthalmologist. Indian J Ophthalmol 2022; 70:3649. [PMID: 36190065 PMCID: PMC9789878 DOI: 10.4103/ijo.ijo_2224_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jameel R Hussaindeen
- Head, Rivoli Vision Academy, Optometric Association of Tamil Nanbargal (OATN) and American Academy of Optometry (AAO) – India Chapter,President, Optometric Association of Tamil Nanbargal (OATN) and American Academy of Optometry (AAO) – India Chapter,Correspondence to: Dr. Jameel R Hussaindeen, Head, Rivoli Vision Academy, Rivoli Vision, Rivoli Groups LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. E-mail:
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