“400 thousand ophthalmology interventions lost with Covid”

“Due to the pandemic” of Covid-19, “in 2020 we recorded 400 thousand fewer ophthalmology interventions, 300 thousand of which only for cataracts, a very frequent pathology after a certain age, which not surprisingly represents 83% of the work of an eye surgery center “. This was reported by the president of the Italian Ophthalmological Society, Matteo Piovella, on the eve of the 100th Soi National Congress, scheduled in Rome from 24 to 27 November (Rome Cavalieri Congress Center). “Each person – he explains – after 500 years will sooner or later develop the progressive opacification of the lens and for this he will have to undergo the operation. However, while in 2019 in Italy 650 thousand interventions were performed (32 million in the world), the emergency healthcare forced us not to be able to use the operating theaters. Furthermore, the patients tried as little as possible to go to hospital for fear of contagion. Result? Since then we have barely managed to guarantee 70% of the surgical activity in the ophthalmology field compared to to the pre-Covid period. Not only that. In some very well-equipped Italian hospitals, patients have to wait up to 3 years for cataract surgery. With the pandemic still in progress, and with the anti-Covid rules to be respected (one patient at time, sanitation procedures, distancing, etc.), it is impossible to dispose of these waiting lists. Thus, those who can afford it turn to private individuals who are conscientiously operating in the manner better, using the best technologies without spending limitations, obtaining extraordinary results. And to think that cataract surgery is the locomotive of all ophthalmology. “Among the themes at the center of the work of the Soi Congress: reorganization of cataract surgery in the Covid era, treatment of maculopathies with intravitreal therapies, elimination of seen, today a real social disease recognized by the state. “It’s like being in war – Piovella warns – because the pandemic has practically created considerable damage, especially for a specialty such as ophthalmology considered elective, a beautiful word , but which in fact confirms that we are queuing up for all the needs of the other specialties. Yet, in Italy 7 thousand ophthalmologists every year save the sight of one million and 400 thousand people. A number destined to increase, because we have very effective treatments available, such as intravitreal therapies for maculopathies, and cutting-edge technologies to be applied in surgery. Of which, however, many patients risk not benefiting because in the hospitals the last available resources have been used in the last 2 years to contain the epidemic. But after 4 years these machines become obsolete and must be replaced, and without them it is not possible to reorganize the system effectively. “Also for all other eye diseases, including uveitis, glaucoma, strabismus, retinal detachment and keratoconus, Piovella assures: “The good news is that we have improved the treatments, everything went well, better than all expectations. These are extraordinary new weapons, but which are unfortunately available to a few today because the National Health Service has to deal with contingent resources no longer able to allow the normal updating of knowledge and treatments. It is an ancient problem that affects all free national health systems “. Ophthalmology in Italy” is the Cinderella of the health system – complains the president Soi – Instead we must reverse the course, because the value of sight is understood only when it gets lost. It is the most precious asset and we must make the political interlocutor understand that having improvements in eye care is essential. The number of blind people in Italy will double between now and 2030 “. On the Soi congress:” Despite the period we are going through, it will be an opportunity to take stock of the therapeutic innovations and the latest surgical techniques. Soi – Piovella recalls – is the oldest medical-specialist society in Italy, it was born 152 years ago, yet today, in 2021, for the first time in the history of Italian ophthalmology, we are at the last place in Europe in terms of supply. of the best care. We are considered second-rate. Politics must listen to us, but above all it must comply with people’s needs “.