Purpose: To investigate the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), macular RNFLT, ganglion cell layer (GCL), and inner plexiform layer (IPL) thickness in recovered COVID-19 patients compared to controls. Methods: Patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 were included, while healthy patients formed the historic control group. All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination, including macular and optic nerve optical coherence tomography. In the case group, socio-demographic data, medical history, and neurological symptoms were collected. Results: One hundred sixty patients were included; 90 recovered COVID-19 patients and 70 controls. COVID-19 patients presented increases in global RNFLT (mean difference 4.3; CI95% 0.8 to 7.7), nasal superior (mean difference 6.9; CI95% 0.4 to 13.4), and nasal inferior (mean difference 10.2; CI95% 2.4 to 18.1) sectors of peripapillary RNFLT. Macular RNFL showed decreases in COVID-19 patients in volume (mean difference −0.05; CI95% −0.08 to −0.02), superior inner (mean difference −1.4; CI95% −2.5 to −0.4), nasal inner (mean difference −1.1; CI95% −1.8 to −0.3), and nasal outer (mean difference −4.7; CI95% −7.0 to −2.4) quadrants. COVID-19 patients presented increased GCL thickness in volume (mean difference 0.04; CI95% 0.01 to 0.07), superior outer (mean difference 2.1; CI95% 0.8 to 3.3), nasal outer (mean difference 2.5; CI95% 1.1 to 4.0), and inferior outer (mean difference1.2; CI95% 0.1 to 2.4) quadrants. COVID-19 patients with anosmia and ageusia presented an increase in peripapillary RNFLT and macular GCL compared to patients without these symptoms. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 may affect the optic nerve and cause changes in the retinal layers once the infection has resolved.
Allergic conjunctivitis is a disease of increasing prevalence that affects both children and adults and causes significant deterioration of their quality of life and sometimes irreversible visual damage. There are various forms of the disease, some are allergen-induced such as seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis, giant papillary conjunctivitis, and contact allergic blepharoconjunctivitis, whereas others are not always explained by allergen exposure, such as vernal keratoconjunctivitis and atopic keratoconjunctivitis. We review their clinical course, characteristics, and differential diagnosis, and highlight recent advances in their pathophysiology and treatment.
To evaluate the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in tear and aqueous humour of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), relative to healthy controls. Method: Tear and aqueous humour samples were collected from 29 healthy controls and 27 POAG patients. Twenty-seven inflammatory cytokines were analysed: interleukin (IL)-
Purpose Thrombotic events (TE) represent one of the major complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The objective is to evaluate vessel density (VD) and perfusion density (PD) by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in COVID-19 patients, and compare the findings with healthy controls. The secondary objective is to evaluate if there are differences in OCTA parameters between COVID-19 patients with and without associated TE. Methods Cross-sectional case-control study that included patients with laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 with and without TE related to the infection and age-matched healthy controls. Ophthalmological examination and OCTA were performed 12 weeks after diagnosis. Demographic data and medical history were collected. Macular OCTA parameters in the superficial retinal plexus were analyzed according to ETDRS sectors. Results Ninety patients were included, 19 (20%) COVID-19 patients with associated TE, 47 (49.5%) COVID-19 patients without TE, and 29 (30.5%) healthy controls. Fifty-three (55.7%) were male, mean age 54.4 (SD 10.2) years. COVID-19 patients presented significantly lower VD than healthy controls: central (p = 0.003), inner ring (p = 0.026), outer ring (p = 0.001). PD was also significantly decreased: outer ring (p = 0.003), full area (p = 0.001). No differences in OCTA parameters were found between COVID-19 patients with and without TE. Conclusions OCTA represents a promising tool for the in vivo assessment of microvascular changes in COVID-19. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection show lower VD and PD compared to healthy controls. However, no differences were found between COVID-19 when considering TE. Prospective studies are required to further evaluate the retinal microvascular involvement of SARS-CoV-2 and its impact on the vasculature of other organs.
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