Acute Rejection Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Penetrating Keratoplasty in a Young Male - A Case Report and Review of Literature.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report a case of a boy with acute keratoplasty rejection manifesting 12 days after receiving BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine for COVID-19. STUDY DESIGN: A case report. RESULTS: A 15-year-old boy with a history of penetrating keratoplasty due to acanthamoeba keratitis developed corneal decompensation 12 days after BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine for COVID-19 disease. One-week treatment with topical Dexamethasone 2% eye drops resulted in a complete resolution of corneal edema. CONCLUSIONS: This case suggests that BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine can be associated with acute keratoplasty rejection in children, which responds completely to topical steroids. Ophthalmologists should be aware of this risk of cornea decompensation after COVID-19 vaccine in children who received a cornea transplant.