Inflammatory ocular events after inactivated COVID-19 vaccination

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2022 Nov 30;18(6):2138051. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2138051. Epub 2022 Nov 11.

Abstract

To report potential vaccine-induced inflammatory ocular adverse events following inactivated COVID-19 vaccination. Retrospective study of patients with uveitis and other ocular complications following inactivated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination at a tertiary referral center between May 2021 and August 2021. Data collection consisted of demographic and clinical data. The study included 8 eyes of 5 patients (4 females, 1 male), with a mean age of 37.2 ± 12.5 years (range 28-59 years). Mean time between vaccination and ocular complications onset was 13.2 ± 11.9 days (range 3-30 days), including two patients after the first dose of the vaccine and 3 patients after the second dose. The cases reported were three anterior uveitis, one herpetic keratitis and iridocyclitis, and one posterior uveitis. Patients received treatment with local and/or systemic steroids and all the patients had good visual outcomes. Ocular inflammatory events may occur after vaccination with possible gender preponderance. However, they are rare and manageable. Overall, the efficacy and safety of vaccination should be emphasized.

Keywords: COVID-19; inactivated vaccine; ocular adverse events; vaccine-induced uveitis.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / adverse effects
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Uveitis* / drug therapy
  • Vaccination / adverse effects
  • Vaccines* / therapeutic use

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Vaccines

Grants and funding

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation Project of China (81770963).