Turkish Ophthalmological Society Prepares Coronavirus Information Web Page

The ophthalmologist who first identified coronavirus and was the first healthcare worker to lose his life in this pandemic was an eye doctor. Noting this, the Turkish Ophthalmological Society (TOD) has prepared a Covid-19 information web page that can be beneficial for both eye doctors and citizens. On its page, TOD, which also includes examples from the history of medicine, drew attention to the advice from Amasya Physician Şerafettin Efendi dating back to the 1400s on epidemics: 'wash your hands well, avoid crowds, give your greeting from a distance'. While working in Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus outbreak began, the first warning about the virus came from ophthalmologist Dr Li Wenliang. Wenliang died on 7 February and became the first healthcare worker to die from this newly named virus at that time. Since coronavirus can be transmitted through the eyes, ophthalmologists who must conduct examinations at close range are placed in a risk group, while patients with eye health problems must also be more careful. The Turkish Ophthalmological Society (TOD), which represents Turkish eye doctors, has therefore prepared a coronavirus information page that can be beneficial for both eye doctors and citizens. This page can be accessed on the internet at https://koronavirus.todnet.org/

What's included?

Secretary General of the Turkish Ophthalmological Society Prof. Dr. Ziya Kapran announced that on the web page they have prepared, in addition to professional announcements for eye doctors, there are current statements that may concern eye health patients and current developments in Turkey and around the world regarding the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Eye diseases accepted as emergency due to the pandemic"

In addition to the Ministry of Health, national and international health authorities recommend postponing non-urgent needs during this period and performing only emergency healthcare procedures. TOD Secretary General Kapran, stating that they aim to protect both their members and patients from Covid-19 risks, said that in the section "Eye diseases accepted as emergency due to the pandemic", they have shared a list of emergency eye procedures, examinations and surgeries.

Recommendations regarding contact lens use

Contact lens users have to touch their eyes more frequently than others. However, since coronavirus can be transmitted through the eyes, lens users are at risk. While the Ophthalmological Society recommends glasses instead of lenses during this period, it also provides advice to those who will continue using lenses.

Protection recommendations from epidemics have not changed since the 1400s

The page also includes interesting historical developments related to epidemics. In the 1400s, Amasya Physician Surgeon Sabuncuzade Şerafettin Efendi listed recommendations regarding epidemic diseases. Şerafettin Efendi made suggestions that have been carried to the present day such as 'wash your hands well', 'avoid crowds', 'give your greeting from a distance' and 'eat well and drink well'.