Ocular Emergencies During the Coronavirus Disease ‘Safer at Home Order’ in Wisconsin.

PubMed ID: 38180919

Author(s): Maganti N, Huang L, Banghart M, Channa R, Chang JS, van Landingham SW. Ocular Emergencies During the Coronavirus Disease ‘Safer at Home Order’ in Wisconsin. WMJ. 2023 Dec;122(5):331-336. PMID 38180919

Journal: Wmj : Official Publication Of The State Medical Society Of Wisconsin, Volume 122, Issue 5, Dec 2023

INTRODUCTION The coronavirus pandemic created large shifts in utilization of hospital resources, patient presentations, and delivery of medical care.

OBJECTIVES This retrospective study evaluated the ocular emergencies at a tertiary-care academic hospital in Wisconsin during the COVID-19-related “Safer at Home” order.

METHODS Ophthalmology consultations performed March 23 through May 26, 2020, were compared to the same time period in the 4 preceding years and the subsequent year. Billing codes were obtained to evaluate the diagnoses and procedures performed during this time frame.

RESULTS In 2020, 155 consultations were performed (42 emergency department, 113 inpatient), compared to a mean of 214 over the 5 other study years. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of total consultations in 2020 was 0.72 (P ≤ 0.001) compared to previous years. Significantly fewer emergency department consultations were performed (IRR 0.62, P ≤ 0.001), while inpatient consultations were similar (IRR 0.88, P = 0.119). The most common diagnosis across all study years was fracture of the skull/orbit with injury to the eye/orbit. In 2020, 13% of consultations led to a procedure, compared to a total of 16% in the other years (IRR 0.59, P = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated a 28% reduction in ophthalmology consultations at a major university hospital in Wisconsin during the COVID-19-related “Safer at Home” order, though the number of consultations leading to surgery were stable. This suggests that while patients with less acute needs may have deferred care, those requiring urgent surgery still presented to the emergency department. These data may help hospitals appropriately allocate eye care resources during future public health emergencies.