Purpose To present the different clinical manifestations of rhino-orbital mucormycosis (ROM) co-infection in severe COVID-19 patients. Study design Prospective observational clinical study Methods Among 32,814 patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of COVID-19 between March 2020 and December 2020 in our center, eleven microbiologically confirmed ROM co-infection cases in severe COVID-19 patients were evaluated. Results There were nine men and two women with a mean age of 73.1 ± 7.7 years. Eight patients had uncontrolled type 2 diabetes with a mean diagnosis duration of 12.1 ± 4.4 years. All patients had COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome and received corticosteroids. The mean time interval between COVID-19 diagnosis and ROM diagnosis was 14.4 ± 4.3 days. Seven patients (63.6%) had orbital apex syndrome, and four patients (36.4%) presented with orbital cellulitis. Endophthalmitis was detected in 54.5% of patients, and two of these patients developed retinoschisis. CT scan/MRI revealed sino-orbital involvement in all patients, and three of these had cerebral involvement at initial presentation. All patients received intravenous and retrobulbar liposomal amphotericin B and had undergone radical debridement of involved sinuses. Intravitreal liposomal amphotericin B injected in patients with endophthalmitis. Despite all measures, 63.6% of patients expired. Conclusions Severe COVID-19 is associated with a significant incidence of ROM with higher mortality rates due to immune dysregulation and the widespread use of steroids. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of this infection in patients with COVID-19. An aggressive multidisciplinary approach can help to reduce mortality. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10384-021-00845-5.

Aim. To assess the effects of mydriatics commonly used in clinical practice on choroidal thickness and anterior chamber change. Methods. This was a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded study including a single eye of the participants. The subjects were assigned into 4 groups to receive tropicamide 1%, phenylephrine 2.5%, cyclopentolate 1%, and artificial tears. At the baseline, anterior chamber parameters were assessed using a Pentacam Scheimpflug camera system, and choroidal thickness (CT) was measured using a spectral-domain OCT with Enhanced Depth Imaging (EDI) modality. All measurements were repeated again after drug administration. Results. Increases in pupil diameter, volume, and depth of anterior chamber were found to be significant (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, and p = 0.000, resp.), while decreases in the choroidal thickness were found to be significant in subjects receiving mydriatics (p < 0.05). Conclusions. The study has shown that while cyclopentolate, tropicamide, and phenylephrine cause a decrease in choroidal thickness, they also lead to an increase in the volume and depth of anterior chamber. However, no correlation was detected between anterior chamber parameters and choroidal changes after drug administration. These findings suggest that the mydriatics may affect the choroidal thickness regardless of anterior chamber parameters. This study was registered with trial registration number 2014/357.

The purpose of the study is to describe cilioretinal artery (CILRA) occlusion that is presumed to be associated with COVID-19 without severe respiratory distress and inform ophthalmologists of unusual ocular presentations of COVID-19. Here, we present the first case of a patient with isolated CILRA occlusion and paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) after recently polymerase chain reaction-proven COVID-19. A 26-year-old female patient presented with a visual field defect in her left eye for 2 days and decreased vision compared to her right eye. It was learned that the patient had a laboratory-proven COVID-19 infection with mild respiratory symptoms that did not require hospitalization 2 weeks ago. Fundus examination revealed retinal edema in the left eye area supplied by the CILRA. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography revealed a prominent hyperreflective band at the inner nuclear layer level. These findings led us to the diagnosis of isolated CILRA occlusion and PAMM associated with recent COVID-19. CILRA occlusion and PAMM could be associated with the inflammatory and procoagulant condition caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection.