Lessons learnt: ophthalmology service organization, single-center experience from a COVID-19 highly affected area

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The COVID-19 contagion curve is steeply increasing again worldwide; however, this time we face the emergency with different knowledge.Areas covered: In this review article, we present international guidelines and updated literature merged with our experience from hospitals in Bergamo, the epicenter of the first European COVID-19 outbreak, and provide a protocol tailored for ophthalmology professionals for organizing ophthalmology services for the second-wave of COVID-19 pandemic, to satisfy ophthalmic care needs while minimizing viral spread. Results from this strategy are discussed. We have developed a protocol that can balance safety, costs and quality.Expert opinion: Re-shaping ophthalmology practice resulted in higher costs and longer working times, but this is necessary to ensure safety. Updating ophthalmology protocols should be a priority worldwide.

KEYWORDS:

• Coronavirus disease 2019
• COVID-19
• ophthalmology
• guidelines
• lockdown

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Mrs. Alison Rhodes for revising the English language in the manuscript. IRB/Ethics Committee has ruled that approval was not required for this study

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.