Anannya Roy, Amity University Kolkata
The world has suffered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic since the beginning of 2020. Though scientists are working hard day and night to tackle the situation, it always seems like the virus has the upper hand. Recently, a shocking discovery was made that puzzled Researchers and Doctors from all over the globe. It is well known that the Coronavirus affects the lungs and respiratory tract but now it is revealed that the Coronavirus can affect the eyes as well.
This virus has been linked to various eye abnormalities like Conjunctivitis or pink eye and Retinopathy that affects the screen at the back of the eye which could lead to loss of vision. The journal “Radiology” states that abnormalities have been found in the eyes of patients affected with severe COVID-19 using MRI scans. The results of these scans have provided insights into this problem; however, the nature and frequency of the abnormalities have not yet been studied well.
The French Society of Neuroradiology (SFNR) conducted a study of 129 patients who suffered from severe COVID-19 and had to do a brain MRI scans. It was found that out of the 129 patients, 9 of them (that is around 7%) showed the presence of nodules in the posterior pole of the eyeball. Out of these 9 patients, eight had spent time in the Intensive Care Unit. The nodules were present in the area which was responsible for central vision.
After analyzing the results of these scans, it was stated that from now onwards eye screening is mandatory for all patients suffering from COVID-19. Not only that, other exams like Fundoscopy in which the back or inside of the eye is checked using magnifying lens and Coherence Tomography in which a 3D picture of the eye is produced are essential. The patients who developed the nodules are currently receiving treatments. Though this research was quite an important milestone in our understanding of the Coronavirus, the reason, as well as the mechanism of formation of the eye nodules, is still unknown. There is a slight chance that this might be due to inadequate drainage of veins of the eye, but it hasn’t been proved yet. Currently, the MRI scans result and the Ophthalmological test results are being correlated, to understand them better.
MRI scans are also being performed on patients who are suffering from moderate to light COVID-19 infection to analyze if the findings were specific to such patients or not. This research indeed opens new doors to our understanding of the new challenges and finding innovative solutions to the same.
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References
Text- https://scitechdaily.com/mri-scans-link-covid-19-to-potentially-dangerous-eye-abnormalities/
“Ocular MRI Findings in Patients with Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Multicenter Observational Study” 16 February 2021, Radiology.
Collaborating with Dr. Lecler were François Cotton, M.D., Ph.D., François Lersy, M.D., Stéphane Kremer, M.D., Ph.D., and Françoise Héran, M.D., on behalf of the SFNR’s COVID study group.
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