Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and mRNA-1273 vaccination

Abstract

Almost all vaccines have been reported to be associated with ocular inflammation, which has caused some concern regarding global mass COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKHD) is a granulomatous inflammation caused by an autoimmune response against antigens in melanocytes, including those in the eyes. The mechanism by which COVID-19 vaccines are associated with VKHD is still unclear. Here, we report two cases of VKHD following COVID-19 vaccination. The first is a case of probable VKHD that presented with bilateral vision loss after administration of the adenovirus-vectored vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca). The condition improved after intravenous methylprednisolone 1g daily for 3days, followed by oral methotrexate and a slow taper of oral corticosteroids. The second case is a patient with an established diagnosis of well-controlled VKHD who developed a reactivation of the disease after receiving the mRNA-based vaccine (mRNA-1273, Moderna). VKHD is a potential ocular event that could follow COVID-19 vaccination. Awareness of this association is key to early detection and treatment to prevent loss of vision.