Posterior ocular manifestations following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: a case series

Abstract

Purpose: To report the occurrence of posterior ocular adverse events following the administration of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Methods: A retrospective consecutive case series, in which the medical files of patients presenting with ocular adverse events within 30 days of the vaccine inoculation, were analyzed. Results: Four patients (2 females) were included in the study. The diagnoses included: posterior scleritis, paracentral acute middle maculopathy, herpes panuveitis, and Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH)-like uveitis. Three of the patients had no relevant ocular history, but the patient who developed scleritis was in remission without medical therapy for four years, until the flare-up, which occurred one day after the vaccine. All patients improved with treatment. Conclusion: Though a causal relationship cannot be definitively established, the temporal relationship suggests a possible link between the COVID-19 vaccine and the posterior ocular complications. The benefits of vaccination clearly outweigh the potential adverse effects; however, ophthalmologists should be aware of the potential for vaccine-associated uveitis.