Introduction
Covid-19, which has spread around the world leading to severe acute
respiratory syndrome and was declared a pandemic by the World Health
Organization (WHO), was detected in Turkey for the first time on 11
March 2020 (1).
Studies have shown that Sars-CoV-2 needs ACE-2 receptors infecting cells
(2). ACE-2 receptors are also found in the cornea and conjunctiva
besides the lung alveoli (3). This suggests that the ocular surface
tissue may be the target tissue of the Sars-CoV-2 virus. Considering the
similarities in coronavirus species, Covid-19 infection has been shown
to cause ocular symptoms in patients (4).
Although ocular findings such as conjunctivitis, chemosis, epiphora, and
conjunctival injection have been detected since the initial reports of
Covid-19, it has also been reported that these findings may be the first
sign of Covid -19 infection (5). In various case reports, retinal
haemorrhage and retinal vein occlusion have been shown as complications
of the posterior segment associated with Covid. In a published report,
patients without any systemic disease and decreased vision after the
onset of Covid -19 infection and found to have unilateral or bilateral
retinal vein occlusion were reported. The report suggested that there
may be a vein occlusion associated with vasculitis and thromboembolism
due to immune complex accumulation (6,7). In another report published,
Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy and Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy
were reported in a case of Covid -19 due to the hyper-reflective lesions
detected in OCT as a result of decreased vision (8).
Since Covid-19 is a life-threatening infection, other organ interactions
have not been fully determined, as many studies focus on the respiratory
system to improve survival. Extra-pulmonary symptoms of Sars-Cov-2
should not be ignored, as they may be important causes of morbidity and
a source of viral transmission. Therefore, the current study aimed to
evaluate the ocular effects of Covid-19 infection and the treatments
applied, especially in intensive care patients with severe disease, and
to identify and treat patients who would require eye care.