Alterations in the tissues of the posterior segment of the eye correlated with the severe form of COVID-19.
The most common symptoms of theCOVID-19 infectionfever, persistent cough, loss or impairment of the sense of smell or taste. Regarding theocular apparatus conjunctivitis is a possible, though fortunately not very frequent, manifestation.
Surely researchers will discover over time symptoms or side effects not yet detected or described, these include the abnormalities affecting the posterior segment of the eye  detected through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations and reported in the study:
Ocular MRI Findings in Patients with Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Multicentre Observational Study
Lecler A, Cotton F, Lersy F, et al,on behalf of the SFNR's COVID Study Group
Radiology. 2021 Feb 16;204394. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2021204394. Online ahead of print.
This was a small study involving 129 French patients through a systematic review of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans they underwent.
The paper reports that 7% of the patients (1 woman and 8 men) had one or more nodules in the posterior pole of the eyeball.
All these patients had suffered from severe COVID-19 and had been sedated, intubated and placed in the prone position.
The nodules were predominantly bilateral and they were all located in the macular areain association with additional nodules in the extra-macular area in 22% of cases.
It should be noted that the nodules were neither detected by fundus examination nor using OCT
The underlying cause of the nodules is not yet certain. They could be related to theinflammation caused by the virus. Another hypothesis is that they are determined by the same prone position, where patients were placed in intensive care.
For more details, read the full text of the study.
Ocular MRI Findings in Patients with Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Multicentre Observational Study
Good reading
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For the possible correlation between COVID-19 and retinal lesions, we point out:
COVID-19 and the eyes: scientific studies reveal retinal involvement
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
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