Ophthalmic Manifestations Among Patients Surviving COVID-19.

Background and Aim: To identify ocular findings related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients after the resolution of COVID-19 using complete ocular examinations and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, conducted from May 30 to October 30, 2020, patients who recovered from various stages COVID-19 underwent eye examination and multimodal retinal imaging (Retinographies and Spectral-OCT). Results: We included 50 patients, 29 (58%) males, median age of 46.5 [standard deviation 15.8]. Of these, 42% (21) had mild, 18% (9) had severe and 40% (20) had critical disease. The median time interquartile range (IQR) between symptom onset and ocular examination was 55 days [IQR 39-71]. Seven patients (14%) reported ophthalmic symptoms, transitory low visual acuity (6%) and retroocular pain (8%). On OCT, one patient without comorbidities had sectoral retinal pallor suggestive of acute retinal ischaemia and oedema of the retina's inner layers and atrophy. All findings progressively and spontaneously improved months after resolution of COVID-19. Conclusion: Patients with COVID-19 present findings compatible with the general population depending on age and comorbidities; nevertheless, acute retinal findings associated with the disease may be present, such as caused either by the direct effects of retinal SARS-CoV-2 infection, by indirect effects of the cytokine storm or by the pro-thrombotic state associated with COVID-19. Therefore, retinal involvement in patients with COVID-19 remains subject to considerable discussion and study.

Retinal findings in hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19.

AIM: To identify retinal findings using dilated eye examination, which are possibly related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalised patients with confirmed severe COVID-19. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, hospitalised patients with confirmed severe COVID-19 in a single referral centre for the treatment of COVID-19, in Santo André, São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil, underwent dilated eye examination of both eyes performed by a retina specialist. Findings were recorded using a portable digital fundus camera. Retinographies were analysed by two retina specialists. Medical records were reviewed for assessment of patient demographics, baseline comorbidities and clinical data. RESULTS: There were a total of 18 patients, nine (50%) male, median IQR age of 62.5 (12) years. Ten of the 18 patients (55.6%; 95% CI 33.7 to 75.4) had abnormalities on dilated eye examination. The main findings were flame-shaped haemorrhages (N=4; 22.2%; 95% CI 9.0 to 45.2) and ischaemic pattern lesions (cotton wool spots and retinal sectorial pallor) (N=4; 22.2%; 95% CI 9.0 to 45.2), with one patient having both cotton wool spots and flame-shaped haemorrhages. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that patients with severe COVID-19 have acute vascular lesions of the inner retina including flame-shaped haemorrhages and cotton wool spots. Further studies controlling for confounding factors are necessary to properly assess these findings so as to increase the understanding of COVID-19 pathophysiology and to identify new therapies.

Presumed atypical peripapillary Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

PURPOSE: To describe a case of bilateral presumed atypical Harada disease with sequential, not simultaneous, involvement of the peripapillary retina (subretinal fluid) in a healthy patient with no systemic complaints. OBSERVATION: A 35-year-old healthy white man presented with sudden paracentral visual loss in the left eye. His medical history was unremarkable. However, he reported a similar episode 20 months earlier in the right eye that was associated with macular serous retinal detachment. The right eye showed evidence of reactive peripapillary atrophy and pigmentary alteration in the macula. Optical coherence tomography scans of the posterior left eye segment revealed a diffuse thickened choroid, papillomacular subretinal exudate and discontinuity of the ellipsoid layer with suggestion of vitreous cellularity. Autofluorescence imaging of the left eye showed peripapillary hyperautofluorescence. A fluorescein angiogram revealed progressive staining and pooling of the peripapillary retina with corresponding retinal vasculitis. Indocyanine green angiography revealed multiple hypocyanescent lesions with an area of hypercyanescence temporal to the disc. Rheumatologic evaluation and laboratory tests were all negative. Chest tomography was normal. Considering the apparent absence of infectious diseases, the patient was started on 60 mg/day prednisone. After 8 days, visual acuity improved to 20/250, improving to 20/20 vision six months after a slow steroid wean. CONCLUSION: We believe our case represented a variant of the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome in an atypical situation, because the patient fulfilled the presumed criteria. Furthermore, the findings of clinical and complementary examinations led to this nosological entity to the exclusion of others. IMPORTANCE: The point of this case is to alert ophthalmologists to the existence of this atypical presentation of the disease so that it should be included among the differential diagnoses of pathologies that present with these findings.

Avaliação da relação entre as dimensões da órbita e do forame óptico com as dimensões do nervo óptico pela tomografia computadorizada helicoidal / Evaluation of the relation between the orbit and the optic foramen dimensions with the optic nerve dimensions by helical computed tomography

A órbita é uma escavação óssea no crânio, que tem função de apoio e proteção ao bulbo do olho, seus vasos e nervos. Ela é uma pirâmide óssea composta por 7 ossos que compõem quatro paredes: um teto, uma base, parede lateral e medial; são eles o osso esfenoidal, etmoide, maxila, palatino, placa orbital do osso frontal, zigomático e lacrimal. O nervo óptico é composto pelas células ganglionares da retina e comunica o globo ocular ao cérebro. Pode ser dividido em 4 partes que possuem comprimentos diferentes, num total de 50mm, divididos em partes intraocular, intraorbital, intracanalicular e intracraniano. Tanto a órbita quanto o nervo óptico devem estar dentro dos parâmetros anatômicos de normalidade e qualquer alteração nesse padrão é uma possível causa de perda ou diminuição da acuidade visual. Uma dessas possíveis causas da diminuição da acuidade poderia ser uma anormalidade anatômica dos ossos orbitais, causando uma diminuição ou distorção do espaço orbital. Outra hipótese pode ser uma desproporção entre as dimensões do nervo óptico e o forame óptico, causando uma compressão e consequente lesão nervosa, ou até mesmo a existência de uma desproporção entre a cavidade orbital e os diâmetros do nervo óptico. Para compreender a relação entre a perda da acuidade visual e as alterações anatômicas citadas é essencial estabelecer o padrão de normalidade da órbita e do nervo óptico e suas dimensões. Para o tipo de análise proposta, a tomografia computadorizada helicoidal pode fornecer esses padrões de normalidade. Com esse intuito, foram observados 50 exames em cortes axiais representando a cavidade orbital, o canal óptico e o nervo óptico que foram identificados e mensurados pelo programa OsiriX. O comprimento da cavidade da órbita apontou para o lado direito, média de 39,40mm e, lado esquerdo, média de 38,40mm. O comprimento da parte intraorbital do nervo óptico para o olho direito, média 23,90mm e o olho esquerdo, média de 23,60mm. O diâmetro do canal óptico do lado direito alcançou um valor médio de 4,900mm e do lado esquerdo obteve uma média de 4,290mm. Por meio da análise do presente estudo foi possível estabelecer valores numéricos para o padrão de normalidade, permitindo investigações causais posteriores.

The orbit is a bone digging in the skull, which has a supporting and protective function to the eye bulb, its vessels and nerves. It is a bone pyramid composed of 7 bones that consists of four walls: a ceiling, a base, lateral and medial wall. They are the sphenoid bone, ethmoid, maxilla, palatine, orbital plaque of the frontal bone, zygomatic and lacrimal. The optic nerve is composed of the ganglion cells of the retina, and they communicate the ocular globe to the cortex. It can be divided into 4 parts that present different lengths, being a total of 50mm, divided into intraocular, intraorbital, intracanalicular and intracranial parts. Both the orbit and the optic nerve must be within the anatomical parameters of normality, and any change in this pattern is a possible cause of loss or decrease of visual acuity. One of these possible causes of decreased acuity could be an anatomical abnormality of the orbital bones, causing a decrease or distortion of the orbital space. Another hypothesis may be a disproportion between the dimensions of the optic nerve and the optic foramen, causing a compression and consequent nerve damage, or even the existence of a disproportion between the orbital cavity and the diameters of the optic nerve. To understand the relationship between loss of visual acuity and the anatomical changes cited, it is essential to establish the normality of the orbit and optic nerve and its dimensions. For analysis proposed, helical computerized tomography can provide these normality patterns. For this purpose, 50 exams were performed on axial sections representing the orbital cavity, optic canal and optic nerve that were identified and measured by the OsiriX program. The cavity length of the orbit was to the right side, mean of 39.40mm and left side: mean of 38.40mm. The length of the intraorbital portion of the optic nerve to the right eye, mean 23.90mm and the left eye, mean of 23.60mm. The diameter of the optical channel on the right side reached an average value of 4.900mm and the left side obtained an average of 4.290mm. Through the analysis of the present study it was possible to establish numerical values for the normality pattern allowing further causal investigations.