Purpose: At the start of March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic placed an unprecedented burden on the healthcare system. Throughout much of the United States, shelter-in-place orders were imposed to reduce transmission. A consequence of this crisis, risk mitigation orders, and patient fear of exposure may have led to underutilization of emergency services. We aimed to quantify 2 emergent interventions in ophthalmology, specifically acute laser retinopexy procedures and retinal detachment repair, to determine whether these procedures decreased during the start of the pandemic.
Methods: All retinal detachment surgeries and laser retinopexy procedures were identified using codes. Rate data during the study period (March 1 through May 31, 2020) was compared to historical data from the year prior (March 2019 through May 2019; epoch 1) as well as the immediate 3 months prior to the study period (December 2019 through February 2020; epoch 2).
Results: Combined procedures fell by 38.5% ( = .01) and 36.0% ( = .02) when compared to epoch 1 and epoch 2, respectively. The rate of laser retinopexy procedures fell by 45.5% ( = .02) and 33.0% ( = .14) when compared to epoch 1 and epoch 2, respectively. The rate of retinal detachment repair fell by 29.4% ( = .24) and 38.0% ( = .07) when compared to epoch 1 and epoch 2, respectively.
Conclusions: Procedures fell during the study period, suggesting underutilization of emergent ophthalmology care. It is necessary for ophthalmologists to emphasize the need to seek care for concerning symptoms.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2474126420968407 | DOI Listing |
Pan Afr Med J
January 2025
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Airlangga, Dr Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia.
Coats disease is a rare abnormality characterized with retinal telangiectasia and aneurysms with retinal exudation, most often seen in young males and usually affecting only one eye. A 12-year-old boy came in with a three-month history of vision loss and pain in his right eye, alongside progressively worsening blurred vision over the last year. His visual acuity was reduced to only light perception in the right eye, while his left eye maintained 5/5 vision.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ AAPOS
January 2025
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. Electronic address:
Congenital retinal folds (CRFs) are a rare entity, with an incompletely understood pathogenesis. They are often associated with ocular conditions such as familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR). We present a series of 5 patients with unilateral CRFs who underwent genetic testing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Ophthalmol
January 2025
Indian Health Outcomes, Public Health, and Economics Research Center, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Electronic address:
Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fibrin glue in preventing early recurrence of vitreous haemorrhage following surgery for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
Design: Single masked randomized-controlled clinical trial SUBJECTS: Consecutive patients with vitreous haemorrhage due to PDR undergoing primary vitreoretinal surgery were screened. After completing all vitreoretinal manoeuvres including endo-cautery to bleeders, infusion pressure was gradually reduced to 5 mmHg.
Clin Ophthalmol
January 2025
University Eye Clinic Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Purpose: Cysticercosis, caused by Taenia solium larvae, can affect various ocular and extraocular structures, leading to significant morbidity. Ultrasound B-scan imaging plays a pivotal role in diagnosing and classifying cysticercosis lesions. The aim of the study was to describe the ultrasound B-scan characteristics of ocular and extraocular cysticercosis, proposing a classification system based on anatomical localization to enhance understanding and management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
December 2024
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Ophthalmology Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, MYS.
A juxtapapillary retinal capillary hemangioma (JRCH) is a rare vascular hamartoma located on the optic nerve head or adjacent region. While often associated with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, JRCHs can also occur as an isolated condition, presenting unique therapeutic challenges and risks of visual impairment. We report a case of a 50-year-old Malay gentleman with diabetes mellitus who presented with a non-progressive superior visual field defect in his left eye for three months.
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