ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To quantify the density of the macular microvasculature and the area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in patients recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) analysis. METHODS: In a comparative cross-sectional, observational study, patients recovered from COVID-19 were included in this study. All included subjects exhibited a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Spectral domain macular OCTA was performed at least 2 weeks after recovery from systemic COVID-19. Vessel density (VD) of the superficial (SCP) and deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP) and the area of the FAZ were measured in COVID-19 recovered patients versus age-matched normal controls. RESULTS: Thirty-one recovered COVID-19 patients and 23 healthy normal controls were studied. Mean quality scan index was 7.64 ± 0.66 in the COVID cases and 8.34 ± 0.71 in the normal controls (pâ¯=â¯0.001). Mean SCP VD and DCP VD of the COVID cohort were significantly lower than the SCP VD and DCP VD of the control group in the foveal and parafoveal regions. FAZ area was greater in the COVID cohort, but this difference was not statistically significant. In addition, in the COVID cohort, VD of the SCP was lower in patients with a history of COVID-19 hospitalization versus those without such a history, but this did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Patients recovered from COVID-19 displayed alterations in the retinal microvasculature, including a significantly lower VD in the SCP and DCP. Patients with coronavirus infection may be at risk of retinal vascular complications.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/physiopathology , Eye Infections, Viral/physiopathology , Retinal Diseases/physiopathology , Retinal Vessels/physiopathology , SARS-CoV-2 , Adult , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/virology , COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing , Case-Control Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Eye Infections, Viral/diagnostic imaging , Eye Infections, Viral/virology , Female , Fluorescein Angiography , Humans , Male , Microvessels , Middle Aged , Recovery of Function , Retinal Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Retinal Diseases/virology , Retinal Vessels/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, Optical Coherence , Visual Acuity/physiologySubject(s)
COVID-19/physiopathology , Eye Infections, Viral/physiopathology , Retinal Diseases/physiopathology , Retinal Vessels/physiopathology , SARS-CoV-2 , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/virology , COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing , Eye Infections, Viral/diagnostic imaging , Eye Infections, Viral/virology , Humans , Retinal Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Retinal Diseases/virology , Retinal Vessels/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, Optical CoherenceABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed our daily lives as ophthalmologists. This general review firstly provides a better understanding of the virus responsible for the pandemic: the SARS-CoV-2, and the clinical manifestations of the COVID-19 disease. The second part is detailing the pathophysiology, clinical signs and challenges of ocular involvement, which seems rare and not functionally severe, but which may be a potential source of contamination. Finally, we discuss the preventive measures that need to be implemented in our daily practice to avoid any viral dissemination.
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Eye Infections, Viral/virology , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , Betacoronavirus/genetics , Betacoronavirus/ultrastructure , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/physiopathology , Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological , Eye/virology , Eye Infections, Viral/physiopathology , Eye Infections, Viral/prevention & control , Genome, Viral , Humans , Microscopy, Electron , Pandemics/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/physiopathology , Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control , SARS-CoV-2 , Virus IntegrationABSTRACT
A 65-year-old known diabetic, hypertensive, and asthmatic patient was admitted for suspected coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) infection following complaints of breathlessness. He tested positive for COVID-19 and was put on ventilation. He developed severe follicular conjunctivitis of the right eye while on a ventilator, which was treated conservatively. The resolution of ocular signs was noted over 2 weeks without any complications. This case highlights the timeline of events and discusses the late ophthalmic manifestations in patients with COVID-19 infection.