Changes in Mean and Variance of Ophthalmic Disease Incidences During COVID-19 Pandemic in Korea

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2022 Nov 27

PMID 36437348

Authors

Hyo Geun Choi

So Young Kim

Sung Uk Baek

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study undertook to determine the changes in the numbers of outpatient visits for various ophthalmic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with before. The monthly outpatient visits for 14 common ophthalmic diseases were enumerated based on the ICD-10 codes in Korean National Health Insurance Service data. The differences in the mean outpatient visits and disease variance 'before' and 'during COVID-19' were calculated. Subsequently, subgroup analyses according to age and sex were performed. The number of outpatient visits for conjunctivitis, scleritis & episcleritis, keratitis, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and traumatic ophthalmic disease were lower during than before COVID-19 (all P < 0.001). The lower numbers of outpatient visits for ophthalmic disorders during COVID-19 were consistent across the age and sex subgroups. All ophthalmic diseases other than endophthalmitis showed no change of variation 'during' relative to 'before' COVID-19. In conclusion, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ophthalmic outpatient visits decreased for infectious and inflammatory diseases, screening diseases, and traumatic diseases. However, COVID-19 is not considered to have had a significant effect on variation.

Citing Articles

Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the trends of care-seeking behavior for ocular diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hirosawa K, Inomata T, Nagino K, Sung J, Midorikawa-Inomata A, Inagaki K Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):7800.

PMID: 40050389 PMC: 11885659. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-92279-z.

References

Pellegrini M, Roda M, di Geronimo N, Lupardi E, Giannaccare G, Schiavi C . Changing trends of ocular trauma in the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Eye (Lond). 2020; 34(7):1248-1250. PMC: 7202459. DOI: 10.1038/s41433-020-0933-x. View

Pande R, Mohod S, V P, Shanbhag S, Kumar N . Impact of the COVID-19-induced lockdown on the incidence of ocular trauma presenting to a tertiary care hospital. BMJ Open Ophthalmol. 2022; 7(1):e000861. PMC: 8935004. DOI: 10.1136/bmjophth-2021-000861. View

Yoon K, Mun G, Kim S, Kim S, Kim C, Park K . Prevalence of eye diseases in South Korea: data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2009. Korean J Ophthalmol. 2011; 25(6):421-33. PMC: 3223710. DOI: 10.3341/kjo.2011.25.6.421. View

Yoon D, Kim K, Lee J, Kim M, Kim J . Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Medical Use of Military Hospitals in Korea. J Korean Med Sci. 2021; 36(28):e204. PMC: 8289717. DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e204. View

Babu N, Kohli P, Mishra C, Sen S, Arthur D, Chhablani D . To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown on patient care at a tertiary-care ophthalmology institute. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020; 68(8):1540-1544. PMC: 7640832. DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1673_20. View

Berkenstock M, Liberman P, McDonnell P, Chaon B . Changes in patient visits and diagnoses in a large academic center during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Ophthalmol. 2021; 21(1):139. PMC: 7980730. DOI: 10.1186/s12886-021-01886-7. View

Sahoo S, Dhandapani S, Singh A, Gendle C, Karthigeyan M, Salunke P . COVID-19: changing patterns among neurosurgical patients from North India, efficacy of repeat testing, and inpatient prevalence. Neurosurg Focus. 2020; 49(6):E7. DOI: 10.3171/2020.9.FOCUS20705. View

Friedman D, Okeke C, Jampel H, Ying G, Plyler R, Jiang Y . Risk factors for poor adherence to eyedrops in electronically monitored patients with glaucoma. Ophthalmology. 2009; 116(6):1097-105. DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2009.01.021. View

Narang I, Sardana K, Bajpai R, Garg V . Seasonal aggravation of acne in summers and the effect of temperature and humidity in a study in a tropical setting. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2018; 18(4):1098-1104. DOI: 10.1111/jocd.12777. View

10.

Choi H, Lee M, Lee S . Visual impairment and risk of depression: A longitudinal follow-up study using a national sample cohort. Sci Rep. 2018; 8(1):2083. PMC: 5794974. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20374-5. View

11.

Bambra C, Riordan R, Ford J, Matthews F . The COVID-19 pandemic and health inequalities. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2020; 74(11):964-968. PMC: 7298201. DOI: 10.1136/jech-2020-214401. View

12.

Leng T, Gallivan M, Kras A, Lum F, Roe M, Li C . Ophthalmology and COVID-19: The Impact of the Pandemic on Patient Care and Outcomes: An IRIS® Registry Study. Ophthalmology. 2021; 128(12):1782-1784. PMC: 8213986. DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.06.011. View

13.

Laboe C, Jain A, Bodicherla K, Pathak M . Physician Suicide in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cureus. 2021; 13(11):e19313. PMC: 8648129. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.19313. View

14.

Cowling B, Ali S, Ng T, Tsang T, Li J, Fong M . Impact assessment of non-pharmaceutical interventions against coronavirus disease 2019 and influenza in Hong Kong: an observational study. Lancet Public Health. 2020; 5(5):e279-e288. PMC: 7164922. DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30090-6. View

15.

Bauerle A, Teufel M, Musche V, Weismuller B, Kohler H, Hetkamp M . Increased generalized anxiety, depression and distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Germany. J Public Health (Oxf). 2020; 42(4):672-678. PMC: 7454766. DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa106. View

16.

Agrawal D, Parchand S, Agrawal D, Chatterjee S, Gangwe A, Mishra M . Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown on ocular trauma at a tertiary eye care institute. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2021; 69(3):709-713. PMC: 7942066. DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_3200_20. View

17.

Salmon J, Strauss P, Todd G, Murray A . Acute scleritis in porphyria cutanea tarda. Am J Ophthalmol. 1990; 109(4):400-6. DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)74605-7. View

18.

Lee J, Bilonick R, Romanowski E, Kowalski R . Seasonal Variation in Human Adenovirus Conjunctivitis: A 30-Year Observational Study. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2018; 25(5-6):451-456. DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2018.1509096. View

19.

Audi A, AlIbrahim M, Kaddoura M, Hijazi G, Yassine H, Zaraket H . Seasonality of Respiratory Viral Infections: Will COVID-19 Follow Suit?. Front Public Health. 2020; 8:567184. PMC: 7522168. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.567184. View

20.

Jain A, Bodicherla K, Raza Q, Sahu K . Impact on mental health by "Living in Isolation and Quarantine" during COVID-19 pandemic. J Family Med Prim Care. 2021; 9(10):5415-5418. PMC: 7773080. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1572_20. View