Manifestation of Herpetic Eye Disease after COVID-19 Vaccine: A UK Case Series

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To highlight the potential risk of herpetic eye disease (HED) reactivation following COVID-19 vaccine.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of all patients who presented with HED within 28 days post-first dose COVID-19 vaccination.

Results

Eleven eyes (n = 10 patients) were included. The mean interval between COVID-19 vaccination and ocular symptoms/signs was 12.3 ± 10.3 days. Four (40%) patients presented with HSV keratitis, and six (60%) patients presented with VZV keratitis (five had concurrent other signs of herpes zoster ophthalmicus). Common ocular signs included multiple scattered dendritic/pseudodendritic corneal epitheliopathy (90.9%), anterior uveitis (63.6%), and endothelitis (27.3%). All cases were successfully treated with topical and systemic antiviral treatment and/or topical corticosteroids (mean healing time = 3.9 ± 1.6 weeks).

Conclusions

Our case series highlights the potential temporal association between HED and COVID-19 vaccine. Prophylactic antiviral treatment is recommended in patients with a history of HED prior to COVID-19 vaccination.

KEYWORDS:

• Adverse event
• COVID-19
• herpes virus
• herpetic eye disease
• vaccine

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.