Use of Big Data to Evaluate Adverse Ophthalmic Adverse Events after COVID-19 Vaccination

Abstract

Purpose: This study explored the types and incidences of adverse ophthalmic adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination and their associations with such vaccination in patients who presented to the sole local, tertiary, general hospital in region Ulsan of South Korea complaining of ophthalmic discomfort after COVID-19 vaccination.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Ulsan University Hospital, which is the only tertiary general hospital in Ulsan city. All participants visited the hospital from March 2021 to August 2022 complaining of ophthalmic discomfort after COVID-19 vaccination. Clinical variables were collected from both our clinical data warehouse and the electronic medical records of the hospital.Results: To date, 2,766,569 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Ulsan city. A total of 97 cases of vaccination-related adverse ophthalmic events have been confirmed. In 21 of these cases, irreversible sequelae persisted after the side-effects. Most symptoms developed within 1 week after vaccination (mean 5.06 ± 6.86 days). The most common symptom was visual disturbance (67 cases), followed by ocular pain (19 cases) and double vision (16 cases). The most frequent diagnoses associated with irreversible sequelae were neurological diseases (7 cases), retinal diseases (5 cases), and glaucoma (5 cases). The frequencies of side effects were highest for those of BNT162b2 status (34 cases), followed by those of ChAdOx1 (30), mRNA-1273 (20), and Ad26.COV2.S (4).Conclusions: In contrast to other vaccinations, COVID-19 vaccination was viewed as urgent; a few known ophthalmic side effects developed after vaccination. Although such adverse events are rare, affected patients must be closely monitored; the sequelae may be irreversible.