ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: We present 2 cases of striking stromal corneal infiltrates months after COVID-19 infection. While we cannot prove that these infiltrates are caused by or directly related to COVID-19, we did not find any other plausible cause that could explain these ophthalmic signs. In these cases, the ongoing process was detected in relatively early stages due to scheduled visits with patients and responded positively to prednisolone acetate 1% ophthalmic suspension. However, we do not know the response to treatment in more advanced cases.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/diagnosis , Corneal Diseases/diagnosis , Corneal Stroma/pathology , Eye Infections, Viral/diagnosis , SARS-CoV-2 , COVID-19/virology , COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing , Corneal Diseases/drug therapy , Corneal Diseases/virology , Eye Infections, Viral/drug therapy , Eye Infections, Viral/virology , Female , Glaucoma, Open-Angle/diagnosis , Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use , Humans , Immune Complex Diseases/diagnosis , Immune Complex Diseases/drug therapy , Immune Complex Diseases/virology , Male , Middle Aged , Prednisolone/therapeutic use , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Uveitis/diagnosis , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
A 32-year-old man with a clear and compact graft following a penetrating keratoplasty 6 years back, developed an episode of acute graft rejection, coinciding with the COVID-19 disease. Subsequent to the infection with the novel coronavirus, he developed symptoms of acute graft rejection concurrent with the development of respiratory distress and peak systemic symptoms. This was the phase of cytokine storm as evidenced by the raised inflammatory markers in his blood tests. Such a case of acute corneal graft rejection coinciding with SARS-CoV-2 infection has been reported only once in the literature and this unique association needs to be researched further.