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The impact of COVID-19 related national lockdown on ophthalmic emergency in Italy: A multicenter study #MMPMID34219482
Salvetat ML; Salati C; Busatto P; Zeppieri M
Eur J Ophthalmol 2022[May]; 32 (3): 1782-1794 PMID34219482show ga
PURPOSE: To assess ocular pathologies admitted to Italian Emergency Eye Departments (EEDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic national lockdown in 2020 in comparison with the same period in 2019. METHODS: Electronic records of all patients presenting at EEDs of two tertiary-care Eye Centers during the COVID-19 national lockdown in Italy (March 10-May 3, 2020) were compared with the equivalent period in 2019. Main outcomes were patient age, gender, and diagnoses. Statistical analysis included unpaired Student t-tests, Poisson regression, and chi-square test. RESULTS: Overall EED visits significantly decreased by 54.1% during the 2020 lockdown compared to 2019 (851 vs 1854, p < 0.001). During lockdown, patients showed comparable mean age (52.8 years in 2020 vs 53.3 years in 2019, p = 0.52) and significant male gender bias (61.1% in 2020 vs 55.8% in 2019, p < 0.0001). The most frequent pathologies were eye inflammations, trauma-related incidents, and spontaneous acute vitreous detachment. Patients with inflammation, headache/hemicrania, and spontaneous subconjunctival hemorrhages were significantly less, whereas those with trauma-related diagnoses were significantly higher during the lockdown as compared with 2019 (p < 0.05). The proportion of non-urgent visits decreased from 17% in 2019 to 8% in 2020 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: During the 2020 lockdown, there was a significant reduction of accesses to EED, especially for non-urgent pathologies. Potentially visual function threatening conditions, such as trauma-related pathologies, retinal detachment or ruptures, and wet AMD, showed lower number of cases but higher or stable proportion relative to the total caseload, suggesting a correct and efficient access to ophthalmic health care during the pandemic period.
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Eur+J+Ophthalmol 2022 ; 32 (3): 1782-1794
