Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Ophthalmology

.: ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Perception of COVID-19 Pandemic in Refractive Laser Surgery Patients: Cross-Sectional Research
Refraktif Lazer Cerrahisi Hastalarında COVID-19 Pandemisi Algısı: Kesitsel Araştırma
Fikret UÇARa
aClinic of Ophthalmology, Konyagöz Eye Hospital, Konya, Türkiye
Turkiye Klinikleri J Ophthalmol. 2023;32(3):162-8
doi: 10.5336/ophthal.2023-95944
Article Language: EN
Full Text
ABSTRACT
 Objective: To evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on patients' refractive surgery preferences and contact lens (CL) or spectacle-wearing behaviors. Material and Methods: The survey was conducted at two centers in Türkiye between July 2020 and August 2021. An anonymized paper questionnaire was administered to all participants to collect information about sociodemographic profiles, reasons for choosing refractive surgery, and CL or spectacle-wearing habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of refractive surgeries performed before and after the announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic was obtained from the medical records. Results: A total of 661 patients were enrolled in the study. Compared to the previous year, the rate of refractive surgery declined by 83.1% in the first quarter after the declaration of the pandemic, while it increased by 36.3%, 118.1% and 211.7% in the second, third and fourth quarters, respectively. The rate of increase in the number of refractive surgeries between pre-and post-pandemic was 69.8%. The main reasons associated with the COVID-19 pandemic for preferring permanent surgical correction in the CL group were the perceived increased risk of COVID-19 infection and fear of possible CL contamination with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (24.3%) and avoiding face touching (14.7%). In the spectacle group, the reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic for preferring refractive surgery included fogging of glasses due to mask-wearing (11.4%), avoiding face touching (10.1%) and fear of possible mask or spectacle contamination (18.8%). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic emerges as a substantial factor to prefer permanent correction of refractive errors with refractive laser surgery among CL or spectacle wearers.

Keywords: COVID-19; mask; contact lens; spectacles; refractive surgery
ÖZET
 Amaç: Koronavirüs hastalığı-2019 [coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)] pandemisinin hastaların refraktif cerrahi tercihleri ile kontakt lens (KL) ya da gözlük kullanım davranışları üzerindeki etkisini değerlendirmek. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Anket, Temmuz 2020- Ağustos 2021 arasında Türkiye'de 2 farklı merkezde gerçekleştirildi. Hastaların sosyodemografik profilleri, COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında refraktif cerrahiyi tercih nedenleri ve KL ya da gözlük kullanma alışkanlıkları hakkında bilgi toplamak için tüm katılımcılara anonimleştirilmiş bir yazılı anket uygulandı. COVID-19 pandemisinin ilanından önce ve ilanından sonra yapılan refraktif cerrahi sayıları tıbbi kayıtlardan elde edildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya toplam 661 hasta kaydedildi. Refraktif cerrahi oranı pandeminin ilanından sonraki ilk çeyrekte bir önceki yıla göre %83,1 azalırken, iki, üç ve dördüncü çeyreklerde sırasıyla %36,3, %118,1 ve %211,7 arttı. Pandemi sonrasında, pandemi öncesi döneme göre refraktif cerrahi sayısındaki artış oranı %69,8 idi. KL grubunda kalıcı cerrahi düzeltmeyi tercih etmek için COVID-19 pandemisi ile ilişkili ana nedenler, artmış COVID-19 enfeksiyonu riski algısı ve şiddetli akut solunum sendromu-koronavirüs-2 ile olası KL kontaminasyonu korkusu (%24,3) ve ek olarak, yüze dokunmaktan kaçınma davranışıydı (%14,7). Gözlük grubunda COVID-19 pandemisi ile ilişkili refraktif cerrahiyi tercih etme nedenleri arasında yüz maskesi kullanımı nedeniyle gözlüğün buğulanması (%11,4), yüze dokunmaktan kaçınma davranışı (%10,1) ve olası maske ya da gözlük kontaminasyonu korkusu (%18,8) yer aldı. Sonuç: COVID-19 pandemisi, KL ya da gözlük kullanıcıları arasında kırma kusurlarının refraktif lazer cerrahi ile kalıcı olarak düzeltilmesini tercih etmede önemli bir etken olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: COVID-19; maske, kontakt lens; gözlük; refraktif cerrahi
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30.03.2014

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