Low Visual Acuity Due to Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy Associated with COVID-19: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Retinal sequelae have been reported in patients who have had COVID-19. This is a case report of acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN), presenting with low visual acuity in the left eye, 14 days after the first symptoms of COVID-19 infection. CASE REPORT A 71-year-old woman presented for ophthalmological evaluation complaining of low visual acuity in the left eye, 14 days after the first symptoms of COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 was confirmed by a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. The left eye examination showed visual acuity of 0.5 logMAR, fundoscopy showed foveal pigment mobilization, fluorescein angiography revealed a hypofluorescent fovea surrounded by irregular hyperfluorescent defects, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography showed central foveal thinning with disrupted interdigitation and ellipsoid zones. Given the clinical and imaging findings, the diagnosis of AMN was finalized. AMN usually resolves without specific treatment. CONCLUSIONS This case report shows that patients with COVID-19 can develop retinal involvement. AMN can be due to a viral infection, including COVID-19, and usually resolves without specific treatment. In the present case, there was no improvement in the patient's clinical condition in a 2-month follow-up to date.

Retinal nerve fiber layer analysis in cocaine users.

Cocaine is a well-known factor of tissue ischemia and may be related to thinning of the inner retinal layers. The present study aimed to evaluate and determine whether cocaine users show retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning by means of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. A group of 17 cocaine users and 18 non-users were recruited for complete ophthalmologic examination. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (Cirrus OCT) was used to evaluate peripapillary RNFL and macular thickness. The average RNFL measurement in the cocaine users group was significantly thinner compared to the control group. Subjects in the cocaine users group showed significant thinning in the nasal, superior and inferior quadrant. There were no significant differences in macular thickness or in the temporal quadrant between the two groups. This study supports further research with larger sample sizes to precisely determine the effect of cocaine on the RNFL.