Drastic drop in therapies for the treatment of maculopathy, with non-reversible damage.
But also dry eye, in adults and even in children, for too many hours spent in front of the computer.
Experts from the Italian Society of Ophthalmological Sciences (Siso) explained the different ways in which the Covid pandemic damaged our eyes, during a press conference in the Senate.
Every year 7,000 Italian ophthalmologists visit 20 million patients.
For many of them, the pandemic has aggravated the situation.
"In patients with maculopathy - explained Vincenzo Sarnicola, president of the International Cornea and Ocular Surface Society (Sicsso) - we have seen a drastic decline in the therapies carried out due to the difficulty in reaching treatment centers, fear of attending the facilities, due to the slowdown suffered by all health procedures. For example, intravitreal injections, pre Covid, 50-60 were made per session, in the emergency period 5-6. The consequences were dramatic worsening that cannot be recovered, because there is no turning back from the damage of macular degeneration " .
Covid also had another indirect effect.
"The intensive use of the PC - he added - reduces blinking and causes dry eye, worsening the vision. For the first time we have also observed it in children. To avoid it, the rule of 20 remains useful: after 20 minutes of monitor , look at more than 20 meters for more than 20 seconds; or even put post-its on the PC with the words 'blink' to remind you to blink often, or to resort to artificial tears ".
In addition, distance learning and webinars have contributed to increasing myopia.
Natural light and a long-range gaze remain the best antidotes to an 'epidemic' linked to indoor life and the overuse of devices.
"The child should be encouraged to be outdoors as much as possible.
