Ophthalmic side effects of COVID-19 vaccines

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a rapidly emerging global health concern since December 2019. Unprecedented efforts have been made to produce vaccines, which have proven to be successful.

Areas covered

This is a narrative review of the known ocular side effects related to the COVID-19 vaccines. Relevant literature was identified up to January 2022. Herein, reports of several side effects after immunization with COVID-19 vaccines, such as corneal graft rejection, ocular herpes simplex virus reactivation, scleritis, anterior and intermediate uveitis, multiple evanescent white dot syndrome, acute zonal occult outer retinopathy, panuveitis, multifocal choroiditis, toxoplasma retinochoroiditis, central serous retinopathy, branch/central retinal vein occlusion, paracentral acute middle maculopathy, arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, optic neuritis, third nerve palsy, superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis, and Tolosa–Hunt syndrome, are reviewed and presented.

Expert opinion

Our knowledge regarding vaccination-related adverse events during the COVID-19 pandemic is growing. Ocular side effects are very rare overall and can often be treatable and preventable. Vaccinations remain strongly recommended by experts due to their efficacy in decreasing the disease burden. It is of note that establishing a casual relationship between vaccines and side effects is not possible yet and the possibility of coincidence should be considered.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• vaccine
• ocular complication
• ophthalmology
• eye disease
• coronavirus

Article highlights

• The number of reported ocular side effects following COVID-19 vaccinations is not significantly compared to the number of vaccinated individuals.

• Most ophthalmic side effects after vaccinations are self-limited and benign.

• Almost all reported ocular complications are inflammatory in nature, while the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood.

• A causal relationship between ocular adverse effects and COVID-19 vaccinations cannot be established without further investigation.

• Patients should be informed that the benefits conferred by vaccination against COVID-19 greatly outweigh the probability of ocular side effects related to the vaccines.

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our special thanks to Arthur Chang (University of Illinois, Chicago) for his efforts in assisting with the preparation of this report.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.