Nano Silver Coated Surgical Apparels and Phaco Needles for Safety of Ophthalmic Surgeons in View of COVID-19 Pandemic

In view of the recent outbreak of the pandemic caused by novel corona virus 19 (n-covid) which has thrown the overall healthcare system that has created fear, apprehension and anxiety amongst all surgeons. Ophthalmic surgeons are no exceptions. The new corona virus is a respiratory virus of the Coronoviridae family containing a single strand of RNA which spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. A person can get infected by the virus if the person is within 1 meter of a person with COVID 19 or by touching contaminated surface and then touching eyes, nose or mouth.

Standard recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19 include frequent cleaning of hands using alcohol based hand rubs or soap and water. Covering the nose and mouth with a proper mask, covering skin, eyes, hair, hands and legs with proper apparel is important.

Just like elderly members of the society, the healthcare workers who have some co-morbidity are susceptible to COVID-19 invasion.

Asymptomatic carriers who may present with senile or pre-senile cataract can be a potential source of infection to other patients, hospital staff, surgeons and others.

It is important that all the microsurgical instruments which will be used for phacoemulsification be properly sterilized. The surfaces of these instruments should remain free of contaminants as these instruments will be used multiple times in other patients as well.