Reworking Protocols in the Ophthalmology Department during the COVID-19 Crisis

Reworking Protocols in the Ophthalmology Department during the COVID-19 Crisis

Jagat Ram, Parul Chawla Gupta, Praveen Kumar-M

Eye care professionals are susceptible to contract COVID-19 infection due to the presence of the virus in tears and conjunctival secretions and, also, partly due to the proximity required during ophthalmic examination. Although infrequent, ocular features include conjunctivitis (predominant), chemosis, follicles, itching, dry eye, and tearing. In this article, we have outlined salient safety recommendations at outpatient, inpatient and operation theater level for both patients as well as health care workers. Some of them being, creation of special triage areas at ophthalmology clinic for the screening of patients, things to be avoided at each level, procedures to manage appointments, examination room modifications, operation theater protocols, a suggestion for prioritizing cases, and finally airflow and hospital staff management. These suggestions, along with local hospital-specific modifications, will help us to go a long way in the battle against COVID-19.

2020

Conjunctivitis, Triage, Ocular manifestations, Filtering face piece, aarogya setu app

DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1713838

Annals of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (India)

National Academy of Medical Sciences

General Works