Impact of COVID-19 on ophthalmic surgical procedures in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicentre study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on healthcare and ophthalmology services globally. Numerous studies amongst various medical and surgical specialties showed a reduction in patient attendance and surgical procedures performed. Prior published ophthalmic literature focused on specific types of procedures and were usually single centre.

Visual outcomes in patients with open globe injuries compared to predicted outcomes using the Ocular Trauma Scoring system.

Aim: To determine the visual outcomes in adult patients who sustained open globe injuries and to determine whether the visual prognosis following an eye injury in an African setting differs from the predicted outcomes according to the Ocular Trauma Score (OTS) study. A secondary aim was to establish the evisceration rate for these injuries and assess how this form of intervention affected outcomes in comparison to the OTS.

Methods: A prospective case series of all patients admitted with open globe injuries over a two-year (July 2009 to June 2011) period.

How useful is visual field testing in an African glaucoma clinic?

Purpose: To investigate the usefulness of visual field testing in the diagnosis and subsequent management of glaucoma in a specialist glaucoma clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.

Methods: A retrospective case note review of 344 patients who attended the glaucoma clinic between January and June 2010.

Results: The study population consisted of 201 (58%) females and 143 (42%) males.

Open globe injuries in patients seen at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.

Background: Ocular trauma accounts for a significant proportion of admissions to the eye ward at Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH), Cape Town, South Africa. There are few published studies on ocular trauma in South Africa. Some studies elsewhere have shown an association between open globe injuries and recent alcohol use, but no such study has been conducted in this country.

Herpetic ulcer of the eyelids in an immunocompromised patient.

A 24-year-old black female (HIV-positive) was referred to our clinic with a 4-week history of an ulcerative lesion of the right upper and lower eyelids. She was on treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis and had been admitted to a secondary level hospital. She had no other ocular symptoms or signs.