Hypothesis on Pathophysiologic Mechanisms in COVID-19 Rare Ophthalmic Presentations; A Review

Abstract

In late 2019, the world encountered the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome (COVID-19) pandemic. Ophthalmic findings in COVID-19 patients were mainly ocular surface initially. Over time, different ocular involvements were reported in this pandemic. The aim of this study was to review the variety of possible ocular involvements with underlying pathophysiologic hypotheses in COVID-19. This study demonstrates the variety of suspicious ocular involvements in COVID-19 from ocular irritation to visual loss in three different categories: direct infectious ocular involvement, indirect ophthalmic complications and therapeuticprophylactic options ocular side effects. This review represents a panoramic spectra of COVID-19 ophthalmic symptomatology with possible underlying pathophysiology.