Ocular Adverse Events After COVID-19 Vaccination

• Published in: Ocular immunology and inflammation Vol. 29; no. 6; pp. 1216 - 1224
• Main Authors: Ng, Xin Le, Betzler, Bjorn Kaijun, Testi, Ilaria, Ho, Su Ling, Tien, Melissa, Ngo, Wei Kiong, Zierhut, Manfred, Chee, Soon Phaik, Gupta, Vishali, Pavesio, Carlos E, de Smet, Marc D., Agrawal, Rupesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 18.08.2021
• Subjects: adverse effects; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 Vaccines - adverse effects; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions - etiology; Eye Diseases - etiology; Humans; ocular inflammation; Review; SARS-CoV-2; uveitis; vaccination; Vaccination - adverse effects; COVID-19; adverse effects; ocular inflammation; uveitis; vaccination
• ISSN: 0927-3948; 1744-5078; 1744-5078
• DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2021.1976221

The COVID-19 pandemic has galvanized the development of new vaccines at an unprecedented pace. Since the widespread implementation of vaccination campaigns, reports of ocular adverse effects after COVID-19 vaccinations have emerged. This review summarizes ocular adverse effects possibly associated with COVID-19 vaccination, and discusses their clinical characteristics and management. Narrative Literature Review. Ocular adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccinations include facial nerve palsy, abducens nerve palsy, acute macular neuroretinopathy, central serous retinopathy, thrombosis, uveitis, multiple evanescent white dot syndrome, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease reactivation, and new-onset Graves' Disease. Studies in current literature are primarily retrospective case series or isolated case reports - these are inherently weak in establishing association or causality. Nevertheless, the described presentations resemble the reported ocular manifestations of the COVID-19 disease itself. Hence, we hypothesize that the human body's immune response to COVID-19 vaccinations may be involved in the pathogenesis of the ocular adverse effects post-COVID-19 vaccination. Ophthalmologists and generalists should be aware of the possible, albeit rare, ocular adverse effects after COVID-19 vaccination.