The Novel Coronavirus: Implications of a Global Pandemic on the Practice of Ophthalmology

Overview

The year 2020 has thus far been dominated by the meteoric rise of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Multiple lifestyle changes including work from home orders and social distancing have become the new normal as the world attempts to grapple with the uncertainty resulting from this pandemic. COVID-19’s impact has been far reaching, disrupting many facets of daily life for people all across the world. Nearly every industry has been required to modify its practice by adopting stricter safety recommendations. Providing quality healthcare in concordance with these guidelines has proved to be a challenge. Ophthalmology has faced unique barriers resulting from COVID-19 due to the proximity and duration of the exam required, diversity and volume of patient encounters, as well as unclear ocular manifestations of the virus. This review article aims to summarize recent literature pertaining to the epidemiology of COVID-19, ocular manifestations of the virus, and information on continued safe practice.

Keywords

Coronavirus, COVID-19, ophthalmic practice, ophthalmology, practice management, infection control