Evaluation of ocular symptoms in COVID-19 subjects in inpatient and outpatient settings

• Published in: International ophthalmology 2021-04, Vol.41 (4), p.1541-1548
• Main Authors: Sezgin Akçay, Betül İlkay, Kardeş, Esra, Kıray, Gülünay, Ayaz, Betül, Karakuş Hacıoğlu, Gülay, Pala, Emin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Burning; Conjunctivitis; Contact lenses; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - complications; Edema; Eye; Eye - physiopathology; Eye diseases; Eye Diseases - virology; Eyelid; Female; Humans; Inpatients; Irritation; Itching; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Original Paper; Outpatients; Patients; Polymerase chain reaction; Pruritus; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Signs and symptoms; Surgery; Viral diseases; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0165-5701; 1573-2630
• DOI: 10.1007/s10792-021-01728-x

Purpose Evaluation of subtle ocular involvement and clinically significant conjunctivitis symptoms in a group of patients with COVID-19 in outpatient and inpatient settings. Method Overall, 1083 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recruited as subjects. Patients were divided into inpatients (group 1, n  = 371) and outpatients (group 2, n  = 712). Demographical and general medical data included age, sex, and comorbidities. Patients whose diagnosis was confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were called by phone, and their chronic ocular disease, previous ocular surgery, ocular medication, contact lens wear and ocular irritation symptoms were queried during the active disease period. Results The mean age of the patients was 44.2 ± 16.5 (19–97) years; 635 (58.6%) were male, and 448 (41.4%) were female. Comorbidity, chronic ocular disease, ophthalmic medication and previous ocular surgery rates were significantly higher in group 1 ( p