Retinal vein occlusion in COVID-19: A novel entity

Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020 Oct;68(10):2291-2293. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_2380_20.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a form of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Ocular manifestations related to COVID-19 are uncommon with conjunctivitis being reported in a few cases. We report a unique case of vasculitic retinal vein occlusion (RVO) secondary to COVID-19 in a 52-year-old patient who presented with the diminution of vision in the left eye 10 days after he tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. All investigations for vasculitis were negative. This case supports the mechanism of thrombo-inflammatory state secondary to the "cytokine-storm" as the pathogenesis for systemic manifestations of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; retinal vein occlusion; vasculitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Eye Infections, Viral / diagnosis
  • Eye Infections, Viral / drug therapy
  • Eye Infections, Viral / virology*
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Male
  • Methylprednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology*
  • Ranibizumab / therapeutic use
  • Retinal Vasculitis / diagnosis
  • Retinal Vasculitis / drug therapy
  • Retinal Vasculitis / virology*
  • Retinal Vein Occlusion / diagnosis
  • Retinal Vein Occlusion / drug therapy
  • Retinal Vein Occlusion / virology*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / antagonists & inhibitors

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Glucocorticoids
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Methylprednisolone
  • Ranibizumab