Guidelines and recommendations for the SARS-CoV-2 health emergency. Organization of ophthalmic consultations to avoid contact between healthy and asymptomatic contagious positive subjects

Abstract

The Italian Ophthalmological Society (SOI) has developed clinical practice guidelines for the care of ophthalmic patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of this document is to define guidelines that would help ophthalmologists in their clinical activities through the adoption of recommended procedures to avoid common organization and management of positive asymptomatic contagious patients and healthy people. They are based on data available in scientific literature and real clinical experience. The document underlines the unique nature of ophthalmology and its impact on people’s health and wellbeing, outlines minimal requirements to be able to perform ophthalmology procedures, discusses the use of disposable devices and materials and outlines the criteria to manage potentially contagious patients and healthy people.

Intravitreal Injections during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Northern Italy: An Innovative Approach for a High Quality and Safe Treatment

“…34,37 Although a recent study did not find a clear correlation between eye infection and most severe respiratory symptoms, a specific attention to clinical practice is needed in ophthalmology. 38 Thus, the SOI developed clinical practice guidelines to help ophthalmologists during their procedures, 39 together with an update of the guideline and best practice recommendation for IVIs. 8 Despite these indications, the appropriate methodology to be adopted is still not completely clear, and ophthalmologists are now facing new issues due to the mandatory use of personal protection equipment: an increment in the requests of refractive surgery to get rid of spectacle fogging and the apparent increased of the risk of infections in the post-operative setting, as oral and nasopharyngeal droplets redirect towards the eyes because of the presence of the unsealed upper boarder of the mask.…”