Acute Corneal Epithelial Rejection of LR-CLAL After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report a case of acute corneal epithelial rejection of living-related conjunctival limbal allograft (LR-CLAL) after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination. OBSERVATIONS A 27-year-old woman developed acute epithelial rejection of LR-CLAL 2 weeks after receiving the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. She received the LR-CLAL transplant 4 years and 7 months previously and had a stable clinical course with no history of rejection. She had an ABO blood group and human leukocyte antigen compatible donor, no systemic comorbidities, and no rejection risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The novel SARS-CoV-2 vaccine upregulates the immune system to produce an adaptive immune response. The SARS-CoV-2 vaccine may potentially be associated with increased risk of rejection in those with ocular surface transplants.