Assessment of retinal vessels and corneal endothelium alterations in acute and post-COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has shown significant systemic effects beyond the respiratory system, including ophthalmologic complications. The purpose of the study is to assess alterations in retinal vessels and corneal endothelium in patients with acute and post-COVID-19 infection. Material and methods. A prospective observational study was conducted at Al-Hussain Teaching Hospital in Iraq at two years 2021–2022, including 50 adult patients (56 % male) aged 61.7 ± 12.5 years with confirmed COVID-19 by PCR testing. Common comorbidities included hypertension (30 %), smoking (26 %), and diabetes mellitus (16 %). Comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations were performed, including retinal imaging and specular microscopy. Clinical and laboratory data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Results. Significant laboratory changes were observed between acute and post-acute phases, indicating an inflammatory response during acute infection. Retinal alterations improved significantly post-acute COVID-19, with reductions in retinal hemorrhage, vessels tortuosity, and veins dilatation. Specular microscopy showed improvements in cell density, average cell area, coefficient of variation, and hexagonality. Conclusion. COVID-19 has significant impacts on retinal and corneal health, with notable improvements post-infection. These findings highlight the need for on-going ophthalmologic monitoring in COVID-19 patients to manage and mitigate long-term ocular complications.