Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion in a COVID-19 Positive Patient

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Infectious Diseases
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Retinal vein occlusions (RVOs), encompassing central (CRVO) and branch (BRVO) types, are significant causes of vision loss, particularly in older adults.
• Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic events.
• Ocular complications following COVID-19 are increasingly reported, suggesting a potential link between the virus and eye pathology.

Observation:

• A healthy 74-year-old female presented with blurry vision secondary to a symptomatic COVID-19 infection.
• Initial diagnosis was a branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in the left eye, initially managed conservatively.
• Three months later, vision worsened due to cystoid macular edema (CME) stemming from the BRVO.

Findings:

• The patient's BRVO progressed to involve cystoid macular edema (CME), necessitating treatment.
• Treatment involved an intravitreal dexamethasone implant to manage the macular edema.
• This case supports the hypothesis of a correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of retinal vascular occlusive events.

Implications:

• The findings underscore the importance of considering COVID-19 as a potential trigger for RVOs and other thromboembolic phenomena.
• Ophthalmologists should be vigilant for ocular manifestations in patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms linking COVID-19 to retinal vein occlusions and associated complications like CME.