Pandemic drives number of eye consultations down

Eye doctors are hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic that has driven down the number of consultations for eye examinations, which are best done face to face, the National Committee for Sight Preservation (NSCP) said Friday.

“Remember, the eye is small, so how can you evaluate [it] if you are not face to face with the patient?” NSCP president Dr. Noel Chua said in an interview on ANC.

“Our number of consultations decreased, our number of admissions decreased, our number of surgeries decreased because of the social distancing, because of the lockdown,” he pointed out.

According to the NSCP president, the fear of acquiring COVID-19 also deters patients from consulting with doctors.

“It is the fear of the patient to go to the hospital or to go to the clinic that deters them from our consult. Also, the doctors... are fearful of getting an infection from the patient,” he said.

As an alternative to in-person consultation, Chua said, doctors have resorted to teleconsultation. 

“We have to make sure that our patient is still connected with us… but there are certain conditions that need, really, frequent follow-ups,” he said.

As he urged the public to get an eye examination, Chua assured the public that health protocols have improved, such as undergoing RT-PCR tests within 3 days before a surgery.

“With the improvements in the protocol, now we are inviting our patients to come to see us even face to face,” he said. —LBG, GMA News