Guidance for Ophthalmologists and Ophthalmology Centers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus usually manifests with respiratory symptoms including cough and dyspnea associated with fever and diarrhea, while it rarely presents with conjunctivitis. Ophthalmologists are at high risk for being infected or transmitting the virus due to the following reasons: examining patients with conjunctivitis or asymptomatic carriers from a short distance (usually < 20 cm), the long duration of eye examinations/procedures (> 15 min), touching patients’ eyelids during slitlamp examination, and the possibility of viral shedding and transmission in contact with ocular secretions. During the pandemic peak of COVID- 19 in March 2020, a guidance was prepared by the Knowledge Management Unit at the Ophthalmic Research Center, Research Institute for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran for ophthalmologists and eye care centers.[1] We also discuss on necessary precautions for the post-peak period starting from May 2020 and during the partial recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.