Abstract

CASTILLO VAZQUEZ, Carmen; MOLINET VEGA, Lázara; PEREZ PACHECO, Arturo Iván  and  SABLON GONZALEZ, Raúl. Ophthalmology in the time of COVID-19. Rev Cubana Oftalmol [online]. 2020, vol.33, n.2, e876.  Epub June 01, 2020. ISSN 0864-2176.

The history of pandemics and modern man have marked a before and after in current medicine, as was the case with the Spanish flu in 1918. The last pandemic recorded worldwide is coronavirus, identified as COVID-19, caused by the viral agent SARS-CoV-2. From its onset on 30 December 2019 this disease has had a close connection to ophthalmology. The purpose of the study was to document the new scientific evidence about this condition and its ocular manifestation through a literature review covering the period extending from 1 January to 25 April 2020, using search terms in English and Spanish. Respiratory symptoms are among the transmission routes most commonly dealt with. However, some ocular manifestations are characterized by the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in tears and in the conjunctiva of patients infected with COVID-19. The most typical manifestation is nonspecific viral conjunctivitis. Mortality rate is a topic of special relevance. The statistics accumulated suggest greater fatality and thus the need to implement social measures and actions aimed at population control. The current fatality rate is 7.2% worldwide, 5.8% in Latin America and 4.2% in Cuba. The present paper provides a comprehensive analysis of COVID-19 based on international recommendations for ophthalmology personnel and facilities, as well as the risk factors, clinical status, new treatments and reports about ongoing clinical studies.

Keywords : Ophthalmology; pandemic; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; conjunctivitis.

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