Changes to glaucoma surgery patterns during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a shift towards less invasive procedures

Figures & data

Table 1. Clinical characteristics of patients with glaucoma, operated on before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

	Pre-pandemic group	Pandemic group	p-value
Number of patients (operated eyes)	306 (362)	149 (172)	<0.001
Sex, n (%)
Male	130 (42.5)	62 (41.6)	0.939
Female	176 (57.5)	87 (58.4)
Age, median (range)*, years	73.00 (32–95)	70.00 (32–90)	0.212
Number of surgical procedures	354	172	<0.001
Procedures by type, number (%)
Trabeculectomy	114 (31.5)	86 (50.0)	<0.001
Canaloplasty	66 (18.2)	9 (5.2)	<0.001
iStent	33 (9.1)	15 (8.7)
Ex-Press	122 (33.7)	11 (6.4)
Deep sclerectomy	19 (5.2)	15 (8.7)
Ahmed valve	0 (0.0)	1 (0.6)
Microshunt Preserflo	0 (0.0)	20 (11.6)
TSCP	0 (0.0)	15 (8.7)
Reoperations	8 (2.2)	0 (0.0)
Phacoemulsification (overall), number (%)
Yes	180 (50.8)	69 (40.1)	0.026
No	174 (49.2)	103 (59.9)

TSCP: transscleral cyclophotocoagulation.

Groups were compared using the chi-square test (sex, phacoemulsification/all procedures/, phacoemulsification/all eyes), Mann–Whitney U test (age), and Fisher exact test (procedures by type, trabeculectomy versus other procedures).

Table 2. Comparison of best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and optical coherence tomography findings between patients operated on before and during the pandemic.

	Pre-pandemic group	Pandemic group	MD (95% CI)	p-value
BCVA^a (Snellen)	0.60 (0–1)	0.60 (0–1)	0.00 (0.00; 0.00)	0.263
IOP (mmHg)	22.21 ± 7.83	25.16 ± 9.48	−2.95 (−4.59; −1.32)	<0.001
OCT	57.77 ± 19.63	62.51 ± 17.41	4.75 (0.72; 8.77)	0.021

^aData are presented as mean ± SD or median (range).

MD: mean or median difference (pre-pandemic minus pandemic) with 95% confidence interval (CI). p-value – t-test or Mann–Whitney U test. BCVA: best corrected visual acuity; IOP: intraocular pressure; OCT: optical coherence tomography.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author [J.K.], upon reasonable request.