过去十年每四周一次, 80-year-old Kay Lipman has traveled from her home in Ogden to Salt Lake City’s 约翰一. 莫兰眼科中心 为她接受保视力注射 老年性黄斑变性 (AMD).
当 COVID-19大流行 李普曼很担心. 由于她的年龄，她感染COVID-19的风险更高, but she also knew AMD could rapidly blind her if left unchecked. 她在想，她的治疗会被打断吗? If not, what types of safety precautions would the clinic be taking?
Her questions echoed those of millions of people nationwide facing progressive 愿景 loss due to AMD, 糖尿病性视网膜病变, 青光眼, 以及其他需要持续治疗的疾病. While the pandemic temporarily halted routine exams and surgeries for several weeks, 莫兰眼科中心 医生s let patients like Lipman know they were ready to continue providing essential, urgent treatments—with extra precautions to keep everyone safe from infection.
"By restricting the number of patients and staff in the building at one time and by screening everyone for symptoms of COVID-19, 包括测量 工作人员和病人的体温, we’ve been able to provide uninterrupted care for these patients and meet urgent eye care need."
Norm Zabriskie, MD, Moran’s director of clinical operations
在不确定的时间里进行视力保护治疗
55岁以上人群视力丧失的最常见原因, AMD can take away central 愿景 and the ability to see color and fine detail when looking directly at an object. 研究人员尚未找到治疗方法, but treatments to slow the progression of 愿景 loss have helped Lipman maintain as much precious 愿景 as possible.
在COVID-19大流行期间，她和她的专家， 保罗年代. 伯恩斯坦，医学博士，博士，都保持在正轨上.
"I’ve been giving Kay monthly injections in both eyes for AMD for more than ten years,伯恩斯坦说。. "If she were to go too long between visits, her 愿景 would deteriorate. 最近, she has also been receiving chemotherapy at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, so we now have very narrow windows when we can safely give her injections. We are fortunate to still be able to provide timely injections to preserve her visual acuity."
Lipman’s first treatment during the COVID-19 crisis reassured her concerns about safety.
"Dr. 伯恩斯坦被安排在 莫兰在中谷的位置 the day I had my first injection since COVID," said Lipman. "At first, I was a little worried about going into the clinic. My son drove me from Ogden and was asked to wait in the car. 在接待处, 他们量了我的体温, 问了我一些问题, 然后候诊室里就我一个人了. 感觉很安全. 我打电话给博士。. 伯恩斯坦是个“安静的英雄”.“这么多年过去了，大发娱乐成了朋友, and he is up-to-date on everything—from all things medical to my family news."
大发娱乐有需要的AMD新患者
Essential care during COVID-19 was particularly crucial for patients like
Kathleen Rice, 80, who was diagnosed with early signs of AMD two years ago. Rice started taking a specially formulated combination of 愿景-protecting vitamins called 火鸟补充剂. She also monitored her 愿景 with a simple printed graphic called the 阿姆斯勒网格—a method for testing your eyes at home 每一天 to detect any changes.
Rice’s 愿景 remained stable until right before the COVID-19 restrictions when she began noticing that straight lines appeared wavy—one early, AMD的关键症状. 赖斯立即联系莫兰看一看 莫妮卡·弗莱肯斯坦医学博士.
"I was nervous about the change in my 愿景," said Rice. “我第一次见到Dr. Fleckenstein, we were able to shake hands and get to know one another. The second time, during the COVID shutdown, I was a little hesitant about going into Moran. But all the appropriate restrictions were in place, and Dr. 弗莱肯斯坦戴着面具. 她反应迅速，办事有条不紊，我很欣赏这一点."
Fleckenstein took immediate action and scheduled a full treatment regimen.
凯瑟琳患有湿性黄斑变性，左眼出血. 大发娱乐在二月份开始接受治疗. 在治疗开始的时候, four months of injections are necessary to achieve a response—at least stabilization or improvement,弗莱肯斯坦解释道. "If we stop the ‘upload phase’ of three injections—one every four weeks—the therapeutic effect is likely to get lost and there is a high risk of further 愿景 loss."
为AMD治疗走远
兰尼·麦克莱恩, 86, 从他的太阳谷开了五个小时的车, 爱达荷州 home to Moran’s University location every six to eight weeks to see 玛丽·伊丽莎白·哈特内特，医学博士.
"Lanny has bilateral AMD and needs injections in both eyes. 现在, 他一只眼睛的中央视力很差, 而是为了保持双眼的视力, it is important for him to come in for imaging and regular injections,哈奈特说。.
As much as he relies on his regular treatments, McLean had reservations about his most recent visit.
“就COVID-19预防措施而言, I was extremely concerned about going to Salt Lake and getting a hotel room. I live in Blaine County, one of the country’s hot spots," said McLean. “但一切都解决了. My experience was perfect—people were masked, it was all properly done. 至于博士. Hartnett, if you ask me, on a scale of one to 10, she is a 20. 我相信她挽救了我的视力."
Zabriskie said he and his fellow ophthalmologists understand the importance of sight-saving emergency care for those who need it.
“大发娱乐的首要任务是保住每一个病人, 医生, 确保员工的安全和健康, 每一天,扎布里斯基说. "We know a loss in 愿景 can have significant consequences. Everyone in the Moran organization has stepped up to meet the extra challenges presented by COVID-19, and we remain committed to carrying out all safety procedures as long as necessary."