Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on elective cataract surgeries.
Marcelo Tannous, Renata Leonel Freire Mendes, Ana Vega Carreiro de Freitas, Andressa Miranda Magalhães, Rogério Ferrari, Bruno Luiz Miolo, Milton Ruiz Alves, Amaryllis Avakian, Pedro Carlos Carricondo
Author Information
Marcelo Tannous: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
Renata Leonel Freire Mendes: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
Ana Vega Carreiro de Freitas: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
Andressa Miranda Magalhães: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
Rogério Ferrari: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
Bruno Luiz Miolo: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
Milton Ruiz Alves: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
Amaryllis Avakian: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
Pedro Carlos Carricondo: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ORCID
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the standards of practice of Brazilian cataract surgeons in relation to the protective measures adopted to mitigate the risks of transmission of COVID-19 during cataract surgery, in asymptomatic patients. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative paradigm study, developed from a self-administered electronic questionnaire sent to ophthalmologists and residents/specialists in ophthalmology in Brazil, who performed cataract surgeries in 2019 and 2020, connected through social media and mail listing from local societies. RESULTS: Of the 303 participating surgeons, 159 (n=52.2%) performed elective cataract surgeries between March 20th, 2020 to June 1st, 2020. Among the measures adopted by ophthalmologists with the purpose of preventing viral transmission, the patient's temperature was measured by 84.3% (n=134), and the verification of respiratory symptoms and contact/exposure to cases of COVID-19 by 87.4% (n=139). Most did not submit their patients to laboratory tests to detect COVID-19 (145; 91.2%). In surgery, 44.7% (n=71) used an N95 mask, and 69.2% (n=110) kept their patients with a mask. No stage of phacoemulsification was modified in 144 (90.6%) participants, 13 (8.2%) added methylcellulose under the main incision, and two (1.3%), modified another surgical stage. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly interrupted part of cataract surgeries in Brazil from March to June 2020 and measures to prevent viral spread are being heterogeneously adopted by surgeons. Understanding these measures could be the first step to improve strategies to return to pre-pandemic levels.
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