Scientific publications
Recommendations for ophthalmologic practice during the easing of COVID-19 control measures
José A Gegúndez-Fernández 1 , Fernando Llovet-Osuna 2 , José I Fernández-Vigo 1 , Javier Mendicute Del Barrio 3 , Luis Pablo-Júlvez 4 , Francisco J Muñoz-Negrete 5 , Javier Zarranz-Ventura 6 , Juan Durán de la Colina 7 , Victoria de Rojas Silva 8 , Iñigo Jiménez-Alfaro 9 , Margarita Calonge-Cano 10 , Alicia Galindo-Ferreiro 11 , Alfredo Castillo-Gómez 12 , Cristina Mantolán-Sarmiento 13 , Antonio Duch-Samper 14 , Juan Álvarez de Toledo-Elizalde 15 , Francesc Duch-Mestres 16 , Daniel Elies-Amat 17 , Julio Ortega-Usobiaga 18 , María Antonia Saornil-Alvarez 19 , Alberto Villarrubia Cuadrado 20 , Gonzaga Garay Aramburu 21 , Alejandro Fonollosa Carduch 22 , José Miguel Cordero Coma 23 , Salvador García Delpech 24 , Juan Antonio Cárceles Cárceles 25 , José Manuel Benítez Del Castillo Sánchez 1 , Pilar Gómez de Liaño Sánchez 26 , Miguel Harto Castaño 24 , Alfonso Arias Puente 27 , Alfredo García-Layana 28 , Spanish Ophthalmology Societies
Abstract
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper provides recommendations for medical eye care during the easing of control measures after lockdown.
The guidelines presented are based on a literature review and consensus among all Spanish Ophthalmology Societies regarding protection measures recommended for the ophthalmologic care of patients with or without confirmed COVID-19 in outpatient, inpatient, emergency and surgery settings.
We recommend that all measures be adapted to the circumstances and availability of personal protective equipment at each centre and also highlight the need to periodically update recommendations as we may need to readopt more restrictive measures depending on the local epidemiology of the virus.
These guidelines are designed to avoid the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among both patients and healthcare staff as we gradually return to normal medical practice, to prevent postoperative complications and try to reduce possible deficiencies in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of the ophthalmic diseases.
With this update (5th ) the Spanish Society of Ophthalmology is placed as one of the major ophthalmology societies providing periodic and systematized recommendations for ophthalmic care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CITATION Acta Ophthalmol. 2021 Nov;99(7):e973-e983. doi: 10.1111/aos.14752. Epub 2021 Jan 12.
