Welcome to a new year. Among the challenges and changes we saw in 2020: The ophthalmic community responded quickly and well to the unprecedented and unpredicted challenges presented by the coronavirus; new or modified workflows were created; telemedicine was embraced; as a result of fewer staff on site, more technologies were implemented. Some of these modifications have boosted both efficiency and the patient experience, and many will be adopted permanently. As we begin 2021, we hope that these changes will help us return to providing eye care as we remember it.

Facing the challenge of glaucoma

One thing that hasn’t change is the prevalence of untreated glaucoma. Without symptoms, the general public remains unaware of its presence and potentially devastating consequences. As January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, you may see public service announcements in some metropolitan areas and in health-related magazines. Your practice can promote the same and incorporate some of the measures taken at the onset of the pandemic, such as drive-through pressure checks, as your medical liability carrier allows.

There have been many advancements in treating this condition with drops, laser therapy and surgical procedures, and more are on the horizon. One such area is the micro-invasive (also called minimally invasive) glaucoma surgery (MIGS) arena. Drs. Xiongfei Liu and Richard Lewis provide us with a detailed explanation of these devices available today (see p. 14). We also have provided a review of glaucoma drops (p. 20) and Anna B. Kiss, COMT, discusses how to produce reliable visual field test results (p. 16).

Adjusting to change

With 2021 comes a major change to Evaluation and Management codes. The complexity of the medical decision making will now have more weight than the history and number of exam elements. Paul Larson addresses these changes in “Coding” (see p. 26).

It is not easy to come to work every day wondering if you are putting yourself and your loved ones at risk, confronting occasional objections to wearing a mask, shouldering the added burden of disinfecting every surface, and working with fewer resources and call-outs from your coworkers. It is, however, very much appreciated by everyone you serve.

We at Ophthalmic Professional wish you a safe and healthy New Year, and a swift return to normalcy. OP