Perspectives on Coronavirus Disease 2019 Control Measures for Ophthalmology Clinics Based on a Singapore Center Experience

Abstract

In December 2019, a coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), emerged from Wuhan, China.Since then, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this a public health emergency of international concern because of the global spread.As of March 2, 2020, there are 88 948 cases among 65 countries, including 3043 deaths. 1 The spread has continued across all continents except Antarctica and is rapidly being identified in more and more states in the US.While modes of viral transmission are still currently being researched, there have been anecdotal reports of ocular transmission. 2The RNA of SARS-CoV was previously identified in tears in 2003. 3Given the genetic similarity of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, as well as the purported use of similar mechanisms to infect host cells, ocular shedding of viruses is a possibility that should be recognized by practicing ophthalmologists around the world.Before appearances in Europe, North America, South America, and Africa, Singapore experienced local transmission in multiple clusters across the country.The National University Hospital Department of Ophthalmology, a high-volume ophthalmology center in Singapore, therefore provides an example of infection control measures implemented in the setting of COVID-19 infections that may be of value as other ophthalmology clinics begin to experience and plan for potential increases of COVID-19 risks.Such awareness may allow ophthalmologists to balance the infectious disease risks with continuing care for ophthalmology patients during this unique period, prompting this perspective of infection control strategies at the National University Hospital Department of Ophthalmology (Singapore) for consideration by other departments around the world addressing their infection control protocols at this time.

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