Effects of COVID-19 on Intravitreal Injection Clinic After Lockdown.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Retinal Diseases

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated public health measures, including lockdowns, significantly disrupting routine healthcare services.
• Intravitreal injections are critical for managing various retinal diseases, and disruptions in care can lead to vision loss.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the recovery of patient volume at an intravitreal injection clinic following the COVID-19 lockdown.
• To identify patient demographics and comorbidities associated with return rates to the clinic.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of electronic medical records at a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) tertiary care clinic in Los Angeles County.
• Comparison of clinic volumes and patient characteristics during three periods: pre-pandemic (2019), COVID-19 lockdown, and post-lockdown (2020).
• Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA and generalized estimating equation multivariate analysis.

Main Results:

• Intravitreal injection clinic volume returned to 98.9% of pre-lockdown levels immediately after restrictions eased, closely matching pre-pandemic volumes.
• Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and organ transplant recipients were less likely to receive injections post-lockdown.
• The proportion of patients receiving injections for cancer and diabetic macular edema (DME) increased post-lockdown.

Conclusions:

• Intravitreal injection clinic attendance rapidly recovered to pre-pandemic levels after lockdown.
• Certain patient groups with high-risk comorbidities, such as COPD and organ transplant recipients, showed reduced clinic return rates.
• Targeted outreach and enhanced safety measures may be necessary for specific patient populations to ensure continuity of ophthalmic care.