Intravitreal injections during COVID-19 outbreak: Real-world experience from an Italian tertiary referral center

Eur J Ophthalmol. 2021 Jan;31(1):10-12. doi: 10.1177/1120672120962032. Epub 2020 Sep 24.

Abstract

We report our experience during COVID-19 outbreak for intravitreal injections in patients with maculopathy. We proposed a treatment priority levels and timings; the "High" priority level includes all monocular patients; the "Moderate" is assigned to all patients with an active macular neovascularization; the patients affected by diabetic macular edema or retinal vein occlusion belong to the "Low" class. This organization allowed us to treat the most urgent patients although the injections performed had a 91.7% drop compared to the same period of 2019.

Keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; central serous chorioretinopathy; diabetic macular edema; practice management; retina; retina – medical therapies; socioeconomics and education in medicine/ophthalmology; venous occlusive disease.

Publication types

  • Editorial

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / epidemiology*
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / classification
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / drug therapy
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / classification
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / drug therapy
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Health Priorities / organization & administration*
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Macular Degeneration / classification
  • Macular Degeneration / drug therapy
  • Macular Edema / classification
  • Macular Edema / drug therapy
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / administration & dosage*
  • Quarantine
  • Retinal Diseases / classification*
  • Retinal Diseases / drug therapy
  • Retinal Vein Occlusion / classification
  • Retinal Vein Occlusion / drug therapy
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Tertiary Care Centers / organization & administration*

Substances

  • Pharmaceutical Preparations