Eye movements in patients with post-COVID condition.
Valldeflors Vinuela-Navarro1, Joan Goset1, Mikel Aldaba1
1Center for Sensors, Instruments and Systems Development, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Rambla Sant Nebridi 10, Terrassa 08222 (Barcelona), Spain.
Biomedical Optics Express
|October 6, 2023
Summary
Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) can impair eye movement control, affecting saccadic latency and fixation stability. Pupillary responses also differ in severe cases, suggesting neurological impacts of COVID-19.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Neurological conditions can affect eye movement control.
- The impact of COVID-19 on oculomotor function and pupillary responses is largely unknown.
- Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) may involve cognitive deficits potentially linked to neurological changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in oculomotor function and pupillary response in individuals with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) and cognitive deficits.
- To compare eye movement and pupil response parameters between controls and individuals with mild or severe COVID-19 history.
Main Methods:
- Eye tracking was used to record saccades, smooth pursuit, fixation, vergence, and pupillary response.
- Oculomotor and pupillary parameters were computed for analysis.
- Data were collected from 16 controls, 38 mild COVID-19 (home recovery), and 19 severe COVID-19 (hospital admission) participants.
Main Results:
- Saccadic latencies were significantly longer in both mild (236±83 ms) and severe (227±42 ms) COVID-19 groups compared to controls (183±54 ms).
- Fixation stability, measured by Bivariate Contour Ellipse Area, was poorer in the mild COVID-19 group (0.80±1.61°²) versus controls (0.36±0.65 °²).
- Percentage of pupil area reduction/enlargement was reduced in severe COVID-19 participants (39.7±12.7%/31.6±12.7%) compared to controls (51.7±22.0%/49.1±20.7%).
Conclusions:
- Individuals with post-COVID-19 condition exhibit distinct oculomotor and pupillary alterations.
- These findings suggest potential neurological underpinnings of persistent symptoms after COVID-19.
- Characterizing these alterations may aid in understanding diverse pathophysiologic mechanisms of PCC.
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