The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) began spreading in December 2019 and rapidly evolved to a global pandemic. Initially information was nonexistent and eye care professionals (ECPs) were anxious as the close proximity involved in patient care put them at high risk. Recognizing this stress and the probable effect on behavior initiated this survey. The survey presented here was conducted in three stages. The expectation was a change in behavior during the second wave when modes of transmission and methods of protection clarified. Yet nearly a third of ECPs still refrained from examining patients. This continuing trend can have severe health and economic ramifications.
LawrensonJGBuckleyRJ.COVID-19 and the eye. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt2020; 40: 383–388.
2.
OzturkerZK.Conjunctivitis as sole symptom of COVID-19: a case report and review of literature. Eur J Ophthalmol2021; 31: NP161–NP166.
3.
NasiriNSharifiHBazrafshanA, et al. Ocular manifestations of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Ophthalmic Vis Res2021; 16: 103–112.
4.
VerittiDSaraoVBandelloF, et al. Infection control measures in ophthalmology during the COVID-19 outbreak: a narrative review from an early experience in Italy. Eur J Ophthalmol2020; 30: 621–628.
5.
Al-SadeqDWNasrallahGK.The incidence of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic patients: a systematic review. Int J Infect Dis2020; 98: 372–380.
6.
SeahIAgrawalR.Can the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affect the eyes? A review of coronaviruses and ocular implications in humans and animals. Ocul Immunol Inflamm2020; 28: 391–395.
7.
BacheriniDBiaginiILenzettiC, et al. The COVID-19 pandemic from an ophthalmologist’s perspective. Trends Mol Med2020; 26: 529–531.
8.
HanYYangH.The transmission and diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus infection disease (COVID-19): a Chinese perspective. J Med Virol2020; 92: 639–644.
