-Eye care
facilities to be functional in all areas except containment zones - AIOS
-Perform
elective procedures with recommissioning OT’s and minimal medical staff
All India
Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) has recently generated new guidelines for the
effective and safe functioning of ophthalmology services to the public without
substituting or overriding the any statutory and ethical mandates.
While as
per the earlier guidelines, ophthalmologists were undertaking only emergency
surgical procedures, the new guidelines now suggest them to perform elective
surgeries with due precautions. Keeping in view the significant possibility of
increase in number of patients who suffer from cataract and blindness due to
cataract and other eye diseases, these elective surgeries need to be started.
AIOS has
said that eye care facility providers can function in all areas except in those
that are labelled as containment zones by the Government authorities. Strictly
enforcing and complying with preventive measures issued by the Government of
India, all eye care facilities may now carry out their clinical activities
including OPD, IPD and various diagnostic & surgical procedures.
“With the
robust procedural framework provided in the guidelines, patients who are also
equally responsible for preventing the spread of the infection are needed to
strictly follow the social distancing norms and abide by the protocols of the
hospitals. While we have suggested deferment of two months to undertake any
outreach camps and mobile vans in orange and red zones, in order to avoid
congregation of patients, through the guidelines, we also encourage the
ophthalmologists to explore the potentials of Tele - ophthalmology and
Teleconsultation practice in hard to reach areas.” Said Prof. (Dr)
Mahipal Singh Sachdev, President AIOS & Chairman, Centre For Sight Group of
Hospitals.
These
being one of its kind guidelines have been drafted exclusively with expert
opinions and inputs from various sub-specialties both from India and abroad. While the various
Government guidelines from time to time are part of the annexures, a complete
in-depth guidance for safe ophthalmology practice have been detailed. At all places
the local administration and authorities has the supremacy. Guidelines have
been collated in order to inform and guide the ophthalmic practitioners with
the best interest of doctors, patients, healthcare staff and community in
general.
Appealing
to all the ophthalmic practitioners to adopt safeguards in the best interest of
everyone concerned in the community, the guidelines provided by AIOS present
recommendations keeping in mind the current available information and
situation, and also warrants appropriate changes with the evolution and
unfolding of the COVID-19 situation. Following precautionary measures as
advised by the Government of India, all the patients entering the hospital must
wear a mask and wash their hands and follow the social distancing measures.
“As
Ophthalmologists and eye health teams work in close proximity to their patients
as part of the eye examinations and treatment, and they are at particularly
high risk of being exposed to the virus and contracting COVID-19. While the
routine aseptic process and protocols are to be followed as usual, the main
intent of framing new guidelines is to adopt to the important changes while
recommissioning the OT’s during this juncture of time. The guidelines have
been framed for 12 sub-specialties across ophthalmology, that also provides
suggestions to restart the cornea retrieval procedures restricting it to eye
banks starting Hospital Cornea Retrieval program (HCRP).” Said Dr
Namrata Sharma, Hony, General Secretary, AIOS & Prof Opth RP Centre .