To the Editor—The rapidly spreading pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a huge challenge to global public health. Healthcare systems in many countries are facing severe shortages of medical supplies.^{Reference Namazi1-Reference Barry3}

Healthcare workers in ophthalmology departments are susceptible to cross infection because routine ophthalmic examinations, such as like slit-lamp microscopy, are usually performed in a setting of close doctor–patient contact.^{Reference Seah, Su and Lingam4} Three ophthalmologists in Wuhan Central Hospital were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and died from severe COVID-19.^{Reference Parrish, Stewart and Duncan Powers5,6} At the ophthalmic center of Guangxi Province, we have continued to provide medical services for outpatients who need timely services during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in response to the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) (eg, face shields and gowns) during the epidemic peak in China,⁷ we have adopted an easy measure to perform slit-lamp examinations. After thorough disinfection, we installed a home-made shield at the slit-lamp to separate patients and ophthalmologists. As shown in Figure 1, the protective shield is placed between the chin rest/headrest and the microscope.

Fig. 1.

A transparent shield at the slit lamp.

The protective shield could prevent contamination of the slit-lamp by respiratory droplets. Although the shortage of medical supplies is currently being alleviated in China, we are encouraging the continuation of this easy protective measure to curb cross transmission in ophthalmology and to protect the ophthalmologists on the frontline of the pandemic.