Abstract
Purpose :
Open-globe injuries are sight-threatening and require urgent surgical repair. The top situations leading to open globe injuries are trauma at work, falls at home, and sports activities, all of which were affected by the Covid-19 lockdown. A retrospective study was performed to evaluate open-globe injuries presenting to a referral academic center during strict COVID-19 lockdown (3/17/2020 - 5/31/2021), and equal periods before and after the lockdown.
Methods :
All patients who underwent open globe repair in our center were identified using the “SlicerDicer” function on EPIC electronic medical records. A raw trauma score based on presenting visual acuity (VA), globe rupture vs. globe perforation, and the presence of RAPD, endophthalmitis, and retinal detachment was assigned to each patient (Kuhn et al). Raw scores were converted to Ocular Trauma Score (OTS - lower raw trauma scores and OTS are associated with worse visual outcomes). ANOVA was used to determine any significant difference between raw scores, and Tukey’s test assessed differences between pairs. Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare trends in OTS, and Dunn's post-hoc analysis was used to determine any difference between pairs.
Results :
Seventy-eight patients presented with open globe injuries during the study period. The number of open globe injuries increased during and after the lockdown compared to the time before the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixteen patients presented before the lockdown, 28 presented during lockdown, and 34 presented after the COVID-19 lockdown. The mean age and gender were not different between the groups. Presenting VA, raw trauma score, and ocular trauma scores were not significantly different before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdown (Table 1).
Conclusions :
Increased referrals and changes in the home, work, and sports activities may explain the higher rate of open globe injuries during and after the Covid-19 lockdown compared to the equal period prior to the lockdown.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.