Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on Retinal Surgeries

Objectives: To determine the frequency and severity of surgical Vitreo-Retinal diseases during COVID-19 lockdown period (LP) and compare it with same period last year.

Methods: Single hospital based retrospective Cohort Study. Data of the patients that underwent retinal surgeries during the COVID-19 LP i.e., 23-03-2020 till 23-06-2020 and same period last year i.e., 23-03-2019 till 23-06-2019 was analyzed.

Results: One hundred thirty-six eyes of 105 patients were included. Among these eyes, 48 (35.3%) were operated during the COVID-19 LP while 88 (64.7%) were operated during the same time last year. A decline of 45.5% (p=0.023) was observed in the frequency of surgeries during the LP. Mean age of patients during the LP was 43.2 ± 20.3 years compared to 48.4 ± 17.9 years last year. There was reduction in the surgeries for Diabetic Tractional Retinal Detachment (11.4% vs 4.2% during LP, p=0.166), Vitreous hemorrhage (10.2% vs 8.3% during LP, p=0.04), Full thickness macular hole (3.4% vs 0% during LP) and Epiretinal membrane (12.5% vs 0% during LP). While Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (27.3% vs 58.3% during LP, p<0.001) among other disorders had a higher proportion during the LP.

Conclusion: The decline in the frequency of retinal surgeries during the LP is indicative of complex pathologies presenting later with more advanced disease. However, earlier presentation and an increase trend in surgeries for RRD during the LP shows the positive impact of free time on the health concerns of our population.