[Treatment of retinal detachment during the COVID-19 pandemic : Did patients with retinal detachment seek treatment later during the COVID-19 pandemic? Results from a German university eye hospital]

BACKGROUND

Retinal detachment is an ophthalmological emergency. Delayed diagnostics and treatment increase the risk of permanent loss of vision. Current media reports have suggested that patients with medical emergencies delay seeking treatment out of fear of being infected with the corona virus SARS-CoV‑2. This study analyzed data from a German university hospital to determine if the coronavirus pandemic had an impact on treatment and visual outcomes of patients with retinal detachment.

METHODS

In this study 60 patients treated for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in the eye hospital of the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf between 15 March and 5 May 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients from the corresponding period of the previous year acted as a control group. Significant differences between the groups were investigated by hypothesis testing.

RESULTS

When compared to the period in the previous year there were no significant differences for sex, age, eye, length of symptoms, previous visit to doctor, visual acuity, macula status, degree of retinal detachment, proliferative vitreoretinopathy and type or length of procedure during the coronavirus pandemic. Of the patients with retinal detachment 29% had general health concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic.

CONCLUSION

Medical treatment for retinal detachment was not influenced by the coronavirus pandemic. In contrast to other medical emergencies the morbidity of retinal detachment did not increase and admitted cases did not decrease during the pandemic when compared to the same period in the previous year.