Effects of COVID-19 protective measures on the ophthalmological patient examination with an emphasis on gender-specific differences
Open Access
- 27 September 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by BMJ in BMJ Open Ophthalmology
- Vol. 6 (1), e000841
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjophth-2021-000841
Abstract
Objective In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, strict hygiene and containment measures have been instituted in the clinical ophthalmological examination to prevent virus transmission. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of these protective measures on the quality of the examination with an emphasis on gender-specific differences. Methods and analysis An online survey was sent to ophthalmologists in 10 countries. The collected data included demographics, place of work, current professional status, COVID-19 protective measures and their impact on the quality of the examination. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Fisher’s exact test was used to analyse gender differences. Results A total of 120 responses were collected. 54.0% of the respondents identified as female and 43.4% as male. Over 75% agreed that protective measures made the examination conditions more difficult. The major problems were fogging of the lenses (87.6%) or slit lamp oculars (69.9%), reduced operability of the slit lamp due to protective barriers (60.2%) and time delay due to disinfection measures (68.1%). Significantly more women than men reported that they used filtering face piece (FFP2) instead of surgical masks (p=0.02). More male participants reported that they removed their mask to prevent fogging (p=0.01). 31% of all participants felt that the COVID-19 protective measures reduced the overall quality of slit lamp examination and 43.4% reported a reduced quality of fundoscopic examination. Conclusion COVID-19 related safety measures reduce the feasibility of the clinical ophthalmological examination. Practicable solutions are required to maintain good examination quality without compromising personal safety.This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- COVID19 and ophthalmology: a brief summary of the literatureEye, 2020
- The coronavirus pandemic and aerosols: Does COVID-19 transmit via expiratory particles?Aerosol Science and Technology, 2020
- Update: ‘A bit chaotic.’ Christening of new coronavirus and its disease name create confusionScience, 2020
- Origin and Evolution of the 2019 Novel CoronavirusClinical Infectious Diseases, 2020
- Artificial intelligence and deep learning in ophthalmologyBritish Journal of Ophthalmology, 2018
- Unintended Consequences of Machine Learning in MedicineJAMA, 2017
- Particle Size-Selective Assessment of Protection of European Standard FFP Respirators and Surgical Masks against Particles-Tested with Human SubjectsJournal of Healthcare Engineering, 2016
- The prediction of height by armspan in older Chinese peopleAnnals of Human Biology, 2002
- Gender differences in risk taking: A meta-analysis.Psychological Bulletin, 1999
- Body mass index of the elderly derived from height and from armspan.1996