COVID-19 Ocular Manifestations in the Early Phase of Disease

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To evaluate and establishe the number of patients with ocular manifestations in the early phase of systemic COVID-19 infection.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in a COVID-19 referral center regarding ocular findings in patients with COVID-19 in the first few days of the disease. The patients were submitted to a clinical examination, an ophthalmic exam and a RT-PCR for SARS-COV-2.

Results: Out of 1740 patients, we reported 108 patients with ocular manifestations. Forty-nine with markedly conjunctivitis had conjunctival swab positive for SARS-COV-2, four of them developed keratitis. There were mostly no evidence of retinopathy nor decrease in visual acuity. They had no marked clinical symptoms, which can contribute and demonstrate that the virus may cause ocular disease as an only finding or in the very early stage of the infection.

Conclusion: Patients were in the first days of COVID-19 infection, presented ocular manifestations suggested to be related to the virus and need to be aware of the pathways of transmissions.

KEYWORDS:

• SARS-COV-2
• conjunctivitis
• conjunctival congestion
• COVID-19
• ocular manifestations

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.