Patients wearing face masks during intravitreal injections and endophthalmitis: A real world experience

Author: Sonia Aparicio Sanchis (Spain)

Co-authors: Juan Jacobo Gonzalez Guijarro

Purpose

To analise the impact of wearing face masks during intravitreal injections in endophthalmitis rate.

Setting/Venue

Retina Departament of La Princesa Universitary Hospital in Madrid, Spain

Methods

A retrospective, comparative analysis of the rate of endophthalmitis in patients undergoing intravitreal injections before (January 1, 2016 - Octubre 31, 2018) and after (November 1, 2018-April 31, 2021) initiation of wearing patient face masks. The electronic health record data for all study eyes were analyzed

Results

In the present study, the incidence rate of endophthalmitis during patient face mask protocol was 0,014%(3/20786) whereas during previous no patient mask protocol was 0,037% (6/21755) (P=0,3513)

Conlusions

Notwithstanding the limitations of real-life studies and the very low incidence of this complication, we have obtained a reduction of endophthalmitis rate in our more than two-year practical experience using face masks in patients undergoing intravitreal injections in comparison with previous protocol and published data.

Financial Disclosure

No financial disclosures