ArticleOphthalmology and therapy2024
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Tele-ophthalmology-Based Retinal Screening.
Article in Ophthalmology and therapy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Tele-Ophthalmology for Retinal Health Surveillance in Denmark.Ophthalmology and therapy · 2026Review
- Prevalence of central serous chorioretinopathy in Denmark.Acta ophthalmologica · 2025Article
- Global Incidence of Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Forecasting Study.Ophthalmology and therapy · 2025Article
- Telemedicine in ophthalmology.Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThis study reports our experiences with systematic retinal screening in Denmark through optometrists with access to tele-ophthalmological services before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
methodsWe evaluated an optometrist-based retinal screening system with a referral option for tele-ophthalmological service by a consultant ophthalmologist within the time period of August 1, 2018 to September 30, 2023. The optometrist collected patient history, refraction, best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, basic slit-lamp examination, 4-in-1 visual field report, and retinal imaging using color fundus 45° photography. Tele-ophthalmological services were provided by consultant ophthalmologists. Within pre-defined periods of pre-COVID-19, COVID-19, and post-COVID-19, we evaluated the rate of referrals to the tele-ophthalmological service, diagnoses made, and referrals to the public healthcare system.
resultsA total of 1,142,028 unique individuals, which corresponded to 19.1% of the entire population of Denmark, underwent screening by the optometrists; 50,612 (4.4%) of these individuals were referred to the tele-ophthalmological examination by consultant ophthalmologists. A referral for further ophthalmic examination, either at hospital or at an ophthalmic practice, was made for 10,300 individuals (20.4% of those referred for tele-ophthalmology, corresponding to 0.9% of the population screened). The referral rate from the screening to the tele-ophthalmological service increased from before COVID-19 (3.4%) to during COVID-19 (4.3%) and further after COVID-19 (6.4%). This increase coincided with an increasing prevalence of conditions seen in the tele-ophthalmological service.
conclusionDuring a period of 5 years, 19.1% of the entire population of Denmark underwent retinal screening. This provided an adjunctive health service during a period of severe strain on the public healthcare system, while limiting the number of excessive referrals to the public healthcare system. Temporal trends illustrated an increased pattern of use of a large-scale tele-ophthalmological system.
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