Yildiz and co-workers aimed to evaluate to quantify microstructutal alterations in the macula in patients recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using optic coherence tomography (OCT). The researchers included patients who recovered from COVID-19 (Group 1) and normal controls (Group 2). 238 eyes of 122 subjects (Group 1: n = 63; Group 2: n = 59) were included. The central foveal thickness (CFT) was significantly higher in Group 1 (271.0±26.8 µm) than Group 2 (263.2±22.0 µm) (p = 0.015). The average outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness at central fovea in Group 1 (85.4±13.3 µm) was significantly thicker than that in Group 2 (81.4±15.2 µm) (p = 0.035).
Yildiz and co-workers concludded that, the increase in CFT and ONL thickness might be attributed to direct infection or viral-induced inflammatory response of retina.
Yildiz AM, Gunduz GU, Yalcinbayir O, Ozturk NAA, Avci R, Coskun F. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography assessment of macular and optic nerve alterations in patients recovered from COVID-19: a comparative study. Can J Ophthalmol. 2021 Jul 5:S0008-4182(21)00245-3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34303641/
