Epidemiology of eye-related emergencies in children under 18 years of age at a General Hospital in Spain from 2019 to 2021.

PURPOSE: To know which ophthalmological pathologies are the most prevalent attending the emergency department. To assess what changes have occurred because of the COVID pandemic.

METHOD: Review of emergency reports in children under 18 years of age attended in our Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. Comparison of pre-pandemic, pandemic and "back-to-normal" data when comparing the periods 2019-2021 with each other.

RESULTS

There is a 57% reduction in the eye-related emergency visits in 2020. This reduction affects the three more prevalent diagnostic groups: conjunctivitis and red eye (69% fall), trauma and foreign body (45% decrease) and palpebral pathology (35% less). In 2021 there is a partial recovery in the three groups, but not reaching the 2019 data. On the other side, eye and periocular pain show an increase in consultation in both 2020 (16,7% more) and 2021 (100% increase).

CONCLUSION

There are differences in the distribution of eye-related conditions that consulted at the Emergency Department at our hospital during years 2019-2021. This suggests a more rational use of the Health System, less banal pathology attending and an impact of mobility restrictions, handwashing and face masks wearing on ophthalmological pathology.