Search

Purpose: To study the impact of nationwide lockdown imposed in view of the pandemic caused by corona virus disease (COVID) on Vitreo retina interventions (VRI) in a tertiary Vitreo retina (VR) centre in south India.Methods:Retrospective data of patients who underwent VRI during the time period spanning from a month before (pre-lockdown group) and a month after (post lockdown group) the lockdown period (lockdown group) was analysed. The VRI were sub grouped into medical (lasers and injections) and surgical. Also interventions were categorized as urgent, semi-urgent and less urgent based on national guidelines. Results:A total of 1210 patients underwent VRI during pre-lockdown, lockdown and post-lockdown periods. The proportion of urgent VRI increased significantly to 26.61 % during lockdown as compared to 9.81 % and 13.15 % during pre and post-lockdown period respectively (p value ). The proportion of semi-urgent and less urgent VRI decreased significantly during the lockdown period. The median presenting best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was significantly lesser during the lockdown period. The proportion of retina interventions increased significantly (more than 3 fold) during the lockdown period as compared with cumulative non retina subspecialty interventions. Conclusion:The proportion of urgent VRI during lockdown increased with statistical significance. Our study highlights the value of VR speciality service and its critical place in any ophthalmic set up to address the various vision threatening disorders needing urgent intervention, a significant proportion of which stem from retinal pathologies.

To report the incidence and characteristics of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injections (IVI) of antivascular endothelial growth factor agents and triamcinolone acetonide.Patients' medical records were retrospectively reviewed from January 2009 to June 2016, and the incidence, risk factors, clinical and microbiological characteristics of post-IVI endophthalmitis were evaluated.The total number of intravitreal injections given, which included ranibizumab, bevacizumab, and triamcinolone acetonide, was 20,566, of which 27 cases developed endophthalmitis, giving an overall incidence of 0.131%. Significant reduction (p 0.003) in incidence of endophthalmitis was observed in patients who received prefilled compounded bevacizumab injections (0.050%) compared to multiple bevacizumab injections from a single vial (0.235%). In the triamcinolone acetonide group, the incidence was 0.26%. Staphylococcus species were isolated from 18 cases (67%), and all strains were sensitive to vancomycin.Adherence to strict aseptic protocols and use of prefilled compounded bevacizumab injections reduces the rate of post-IVI endophthalmitis.