Bilateral Acute Iris Transillumination (BAIT): A Rare Syndrome Possibly Associated with COVID-19 and Moxifloxacin Use. A Report of 2 Cases.

ABSTRACT

Bilateral acute iris transillumination (BAIT) is a rare clinical entity, presumed to be associated with preceding upper respiratory tract infection and/or use of certain antibiotics, marked by bilateral acute loss of iris pigment epithelium with pigment dispersion in the anterior chamber and trabecular meshwork, which can cause elevated intraocular pressure and glaucoma, and with iris transillumination and sphincter paralysis which lead to photophobia and blurry vision. We report the first two cases of BAIT in our center which both had a history of preceding COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) and moxifloxacin use. With more awareness, ophthalmologists might diagnose more cases, and thus gain more information regarding the link between COVID-19 and BAIT, which might be underdiagnosed since it is rare or easily misdiagnosed as some more common diseases with similar features.