Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the impact on vision due to delay in presentation of patients requiring intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections, consequent to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.
Methods: Data were collected retrospectively of patients who received anti-VEGF injections during four months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Visual acuities, indication for treatment were noted along with basic demographic characteristics.
Results: Data were analyzed for 303 eyes of 263 patients. The indication for treatment was age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 60 eyes (19.8%), while 162 eyes (53.5%) had Diabetic Macular Edema, 71 eyes (23.4%) had Retinal Vein Occlusion and 10 eyes (3.3%) had other diagnosis. The visual acuity in the treatment naïve eyes (Group A, n = 168) was significantly worse (P <0.001) than those who presented for retreatment (Group B, n = 135). In Group B, there was a significant decline in vision for the entire cohort (P = 0.009) and those with AMD (P = 0.036). Those in Group B presented at a mean interval of 19.1 ± 10.6 (range, 4-64) weeks for retreatment.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a delay in patients receiving anti-VEGF injections. The visual acuity is worse in both treatment naïve as well as those requiring retreatment. This could have long-term impact on vision of patients requiring this vision preserving treatment.
Keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; COVID-19; anti-VEGF; diabetic macular edema; retinal vein occlusion.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Diabetic macular edema, Anti-VEGF, Age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion., 【초록키워드】 Treatment, COVID-19 pandemic, Diagnosis, Patient, Travel, eye, group, patients, Macular, AMD, demographic characteristics, Visual, retinal vein occlusion, Diabetic, endothelial, entire cohort, naïve, injection, Injections, growth factor, visual acuity, retinal vein, analyzed, collected, significantly, receiving, anti-vascular, intravitreal, 【제목키워드】 lockdown, Patient, endothelial, profile, injection, growth factor, receiving, anti-vascular, intravitreal,