Rodrigo Toledo Mota

Purpose: this study aims to investigate the main complaints and ocular health problems in a specific region to facilitate better planning of public resources and the formulation of strategies aimed at reducing and controlling visual impairments and blindness. The focus is on assessing the epidemiological profile of patients treated at the ophthalmological emergency room of Santo André. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional and retrospective study involving 165,714 patients who sought primary care at the ophthalmic emergency room of Centro Hospitalar Municipal de Santo André from 2011 to 2016. Data on age, gender, city of origin, diagnosis, conducted treatment, and date of care were collected. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize the dataset, and distributions were presented using measures of central tendency and variability. Qualitative data were displayed in absolute and relative frequencies. Results: during the analyzed period, a total of 165.714 patients sought treatment at the ophthalmological emergency room. Among them, 52.25% were men, and 47.75% were women. The mean age of the general population seeking care was 37±20 years. External diseases (56.22%) and ocular trauma (14.12%) were the leading reasons for these visits. Conclusion: this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the epidemiological profile of patients attending a reference service in ophthalmic emergency during the proposed period. The findings reveal noteworthy changes in the population’s profile over the last decade. These insights can inform and guide healthcare providers and policymakers in implementing targeted interventions to address eye health issues effectively.

Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a serious health crisis in which non-essential medical services were suspended, with the management of serious diseases not related to the pandemic, including glaucoma, becoming secondary in importance. With the flexibilization of social isolation measures, resuming outpatient care was necessary, respecting the health equity provided by the Brazilian Unified Health System. Objective: to describe a risk classification of glaucoma progression based on clinical ophthalmology criteria during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: observational study of an administrative nature. A review was carried out of the medical records of patients who had scheduled appointments between March and September of 2020 in the glaucoma sector of the FMABC University Center’s Department of Ophthalmology. A total of 489 medical records (881 eyes) were reviewed, and patients were divided into 4 groups according to the risk of glaucoma progression. Eyes were evaluated for visual acuity (VA), optic disc cup, pachymetry, intraocular pressure (IOP), mean number of eyes drop medications used, and global visual field indexes. Results: groups were homogeneous in terms of age (mean 67.04 ± 11.72 years) and sex (55.5% women and 44.5% men). Primary open-angle glaucoma was the most prevalent etiology, present in 45.2% of patients, followed by primary angle-closure glaucoma in 15.7%. The groups were compared with each other, and a statistical difference (pConclusion: the risk classification for progression proposed in this study was easily applied and aided managers in prioritizing the most serious care during the COVID-19 pandemic.