The Novel Coronavirus—Implications of a Global Pandemic on the Practice of Ophthalmology

Abstract

The year 2020 was dominated by the meteoric rise of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Multiple lifestyle changes, including work from home orders and social distancing, have become the new normal as the world attempts to grapple with the uncertainty resulting from this pandemic The impact of COVID-19 has been far reaching, disrupting many facets of daily life for people all across the world Nearly every industry has been required to modify its practice by adopting stricter safety recommendations Providing quality healthcare in accordance with these guidelines has proved to be a challenge Ophthalmology has faced unique barriers resulting from COVID-19 because of the proximity to the patient and the duration of the examination required, the diversity and volume of patient encounters, and the unclear ocular manifestations of the virus This editorial aims to summarize recent literature pertaining to the epidemiology of COVID-19, ocular manifestations of the virus, and information on continued safe practice