The prevalence of central retinal vein occlusion was observed in middle age patients with post-covid syndrome multicenter study

Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization pronounced the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Patients with COVID-19 are more likely to have multisystem thromboembolic events, such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli. This study estimates the clinical characteristics of patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) post-COVID-19 infection in three governorates of Egypt. Methods: A retrospective randomized study was conducted at Al-Azhar University Hospitals. We revised medical records for patients presented to Ophthalmology departments with CRVO. We considered all patients above 30 years old of both sexes without risk factors for central vein occlusion. Results:Central retinal vein occlusion was observed in post-COVID syndrome at younger ages, rather than the ordinary cases. The most presenting symptoms were fever, dyspnea, and a cough with significant hypoxia and elevated D-dimer level. Conclusion:Our study asserts the importance of more investigation into ocular complications associated with COVID-19. Physicians should be vigilant for acute visual symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Patients presenting with thromboembolism should be screened for COVID-19 infection as a presumed etiology. D-dimer may have an important prognostic value for disease severity. Anti-coagulant medications may be required on a long-term basis after COVID-19 infections.Keywords: acute visual symptoms, ophthalmic evaluation, thromboembolism