Eyeworld

DECEMBER 2020 | EYEWORLD | 37 continued from page 34 We U.S. ophthalmologists are now entering our seventh month of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. In March and early April, patient volume and revenue in ophthalmology were reduced more than any other medical specialty. Our primary revenue-producing procedure, cataract surgery with IOL implantation, was down 96%. Since May, office-based and elective surgery volumes have been recovering. Private office practice and ASC elective surgical volume has recovered faster than institutional office practice and HOPD-based surgery. In our practice in Minneso- ta, our volumes have recovered, but we are facing several challenges. The need for screening prior to entry into the office or ASC, increased cleaning between cases, and use of PPE has increased overhead. COVID-19 has negatively impact- ed employee, administrator, and doctor morale, with many at-home and at-work changes challenging most. Personally, I find the practice of ophthalmology harder and less fun. Many senior ophthalmologists agree and have found COVID-19 to be the catalyst that has driven them to accelerate retirement. Yet the need for quality ophthalmologists to help patients preserve, restore, and enhance their vision is greater than ever. In terms of cataract surgery, we have a 1.5 M case backlog to erase. On a positive note, our practices and the major societies like ASCRS and AAO have adapted and survived. We have learned how to provide quality vir- tual education for our colleagues and safe in-person and telehealth care for our patients. Our partners in industry have been supportive. If we avoid a second surge of infections and a major recession in 2021, ophthalmology will continue its strong recovery. If COVID-19 surges again and we have a major economic down- turn, we will be further challenged and some practices may fail, but as a whole, we will survive, as quality vision is critical to our patients and our society in gener- al. I am an optimist but as a realist am preparing for further challenges in 2021. Richard Lindstrom, MD ASCRS Member at Large Ophthalmology was one of the most affected specialties of medicine by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the global crisis highlighted some of the best qualities of the members of our field—responsibility, heroism, dedication, and professionalism—with responses ranging from closing down one's practice to redeployment to in-patient medical units. None of these alterations were easy for our members. As offices and practices were allowed to reopen, we have seen the dynamic adaptability of our members and their teams, as well as the importance that vision holds for the patients we are privileged to serve. Douglas Rhee, MD ASCRS Treasurer continued on page 38

• Blank Page
• Blank Page (1)