Branch Retinal Vein Occlusions as a Serious Complication of Covid 19 Infection

Sanaa Ahmed Mohamed; Marwa Byomy; Eman El Sayed Mohamed El Sayed; Mostafa Osman Hussein; Marwa M. Abdulrehim; Ahmed Gomaa Elmahdy

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2022.10116

Authors

Sanaa Ahmed Mohamed Department of Ophthalmology, Alazhar University, Al Zahraa Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
Marwa Byomy Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1152-4195
Eman El Sayed Mohamed El Sayed Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Mostafa Osman Hussein Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Marwa M. Abdulrehim Department of Internal Medicine, Al-Azhar University (Girls), Cairo, Egypt
Ahmed Gomaa Elmahdy Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2022.10116

Keywords:

Retinal vein occlusion, Branch retinal vein occlusion, COVID-19

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) has an incidence of 0.5–1.2%. COVID-19 is associated with both venous and arterial thromboembolisms due to excessive inflammation, hypoxia, immobilization, and diffuse intravascular coagulation.

AIM: The present study aims to describe our experience with BRVO in Egyptian COVID-19 patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present retrospective study included 17 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-proven COVID-19 patients with BRVO. Data obtained from the studied patients included detailed history taking. In addition, patients were diagnosed with BRVO based on a comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation, including logMAR Best-corrected visual acuity assessment, slit-lamp bio-microscopy, fundoscopy, fundus fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography macular assessment.

RESULTS: The present study included 17 PCR-proven COVID-19 patients with BRVO. They comprised 9 males (52.9%) and 8 females (47.1%) with an age of 52.8 ± 13.3 years. Fundus examination revealed BRVO as superior temporal in 9 patients (52.9%), inferior temporal in 5 patients (29.4%), superior nasal in 2 patients (11.8%), and inferior nasal in 1 patient (5.9%). The reported retinal thickness was 355.7 ± 41.7 μm. In addition, fundus fluorescein angiography identified ischemic changes in 2 patients (11.8%).

CONCLUSION: BRVO is a rare severe complication of COVID-19 infection. In patients with proven or suspected infection with a diminution of vision, there should be high suspicion of BRVO and prompt full-scale ophthalmological examination to exclude the condition.

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