Late retinal and optic nerve vascular complications due to COVID-19 in young individuals.

PURPOSE: This study aims to describe the late retinal and optic nerve vascular complications due Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Spanish young population. METHODS: We describe 15 eyes of 15 young patients without any other systemic risk factors, except controlled arterial hypertension in 5 of them, with the diagnosis of Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), Branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO), Mixed occlusions (Artery and Vein) and Non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) with a previous COVID-19 infection demonstrated with a positive COVID-19 IgG Test (COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassette, Lambra Laboratories, Madrid, Spain. RESULTS: 9 males and 6 females, with a mean age of presentation of 49.7 ± 9 years old were included. The mean time between infection and diagnosis of the disease was 3.5 ± 1.2 months. The most common retinal or optic nerve vascular complication was CRVO (6 cases), following by CRAO (4 cases), Mixed arterial and venous occlusions (2 cases), NAION (2 cases) and BRAO (1 case). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a retinal or optic nerve vascular event in a young patient without any other hypercoagulable or genetic thrombophilic disorder, should make us rule out a previous COVID-19 infection. Ophthalmologists must be awared that retinal circulation could be another potential site for thromboembolic and optic nerve circulatory insufficiency complications of COVID-19. To our knowledge, this is the longest case series of retinal or optic nerve vascular events described after COVID-19 infection.

Visual and Refractive Outcomes Following SMILE to Correct Myopia Performed by Surgeons in Training.

PURPOSE: To assess visual outcomes and complications following small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) performed by cornea fellows under the supervision of experienced surgeons. METHODS: This retrospective, noncomparative case series was designed to assess outcomes following SMILE procedures performed at a large surgical center by cornea fellows between May 1, 2012 and March 30, 2015. Preoperative and postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), preoperative and postoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), spherical equivalent (SE) up to -10.00 diopters (D), and complications were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 114 patients (228 eyes) met the inclusion criteria. The mean preoperative SE was -5.79 ± 1.95 D (range: -1.75 to -10.00 D) and the mean cylinder was -2.21 ± 1.43 D (range: 0.00 to -5.50 D). At the last follow-up visit (average: 6.4 months), 94% of the patients achieved a UDVA of 20/30 or better and 96% of the patients achieved stability in their vision. Adverse events were encountered in 40 eyes (17.5%), with epithelial defect being the most common. Two patients required a second intervention to improve visual outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: SMILE performed by cornea fellows under the supervision of an experienced surgeon is an effective and safe refractive procedure with a short learning curve and excellent visual outcomes. [J Refract Surg. 2022;38(1):28-34.].

Topical Atropine in the Control of Myopia.

Atropine has been used for more than a century to arrest myopia progression. Compelling evidence of its protective effect has been reported in well-designed clinical studies, mainly performed during the last two decades. However, its exact mechanism of action has not been determined. Experimental findings have shown that the mechanism is not related to accommodation, as was thought for decades. A review of the published literature revealed a significant amount of evidence supporting its safety and efficacy at a concentration of 1.0%, and at lower concentrations (as low as 0.01%).