Review of Hygiene and Disinfection Recommendations for Outpatient Glaucoma Care: A COVID Era Update

Abstract

This review focuses on best practices and recommendations for hygiene and disinfection to limit exposure and transmission of infection in outpatient glaucoma clinics during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

On the Nature of Fear and Anxiety Triggered by COVID-19

“…The current COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant occupational hazard for physicians and other health care workers of several specialties such as those who perform or participate in head and neck region examinations (e.g., Ota and Asada, 2020 ), dental and oral medicine ( Meng et al, 2020 ), ophthalmologists (e.g., Shabto et al, 2020 ), etc. Delayed access to hospital care for emergency conditions deriving from workers’ multiple roles adds to the panoply of stressful conditions, affecting many with unrelated problems such as children’s occasional infections, acute onset of chronic conditions, endocrine disorders (e.g., diabetes), or surgical needs (e.g., appendicitis; Lazzerini et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Fear of the unknown Mertens et al, 2020Satici et al, 2020b Bradbury-Jones and Isham, 2020 Casale and Flett, 2020King et al, 2020Lin, 2020Mertens et al, 2020Thombs et al, 2020Yang et al, 2020Hypochondriasis Akgün et al, 2020Asmundson and Taylor, 2020Banerjee, 2020McKay et al, 2020Rajkumar, 2020Schimmenti et al, 2020Thombs et al, 2020Vanni et al, 2020Wong et al, 2020Disgust Brooks et al, 2020McKay et al, 2020Mota et al, 2020Satici et al, 2020bTroisi, 2020 Information-driven Ali, 2020 Taylor, 2020 Erku et al, 2020 Landau-Wells and Saxe, 2020 Sefidbakht et al, 2020Compliance Brooks et al, 2020Fernandez, 2020Harper et al, 2020Jørgensen et al, 2020Mertens et al, 2020Olesen et al, 2020Presti et al, 2020 of several specialties such as those who perform or participate in head and neck region examinations (e.g., Ota and Asada, 2020), dental and oral medicine (Meng et al, 2020), ophthalmologists (e.g., Shabto et al, 2020), etc. Delayed access to hospital care for emergency conditions deriving from workers' multiple roles adds to the panoply of stressful conditions, affecting many with unrelated problems such as children's occasional infections, acute onset of chronic conditions, endocrine disorders (e.g., diabetes), or surgical needs (e.g., appendicitis; Lazzerini et al, 2020).…”

Comparison of Perimetric Outcomes from Melbourne Rapid Fields Tablet Perimeter Software and Humphrey Field Analyzer in Glaucoma Patients

“…The purpose of the present study was to compare visual field results obtained using MRF iPad-based perimeter software and HFA 24-2 SITA standard program in patients with glaucoma in a clinical setting in North India. The present study is also useful to understand the potential of an alternative method to “bowl perimetry” due to concerns regarding the decontamination of “bowl perimetry” in the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period [ 22 ]. The highlights of this study include its exclusive study population of Asian origin and identification of new aspects of MRF software that need further development.…”

Evaluating glaucoma during the times of Covid-19: simple measures may save lives!

“…The ongoing explosive spread of Covid-19 urges the ophthalmologist to take extreme safety measures when performing the abovementioned procedures. We encourage readers to consult an exhaustive review recently published by Shabto et al for details [14]. Nevertheless, this concise guide aims to provide simple recommendations to aid the ophthalmologist to evaluate the patient with glaucoma in these Covid-19 times adequately.…”