Ocular Sequelae of Patients Hospitalized for Respiratory Failure During the COVID-19 Epidemic

Ophthalmologic damages secondary to COVID-19 coronavirus infection are little described. The ocular involvement is probably multiple, ranging from pathologies of the anterior segment such as conjunctivitis and anterior uveitis to disorders that threaten vision such as retinitis or optic neuropathy. On the other hand, in addition to this impairment, when patients are hospitalized for acute respiratory failure, complications related to possible resuscitation, medication prescriptions, positioning and oxygenation.

COVID-19 itself, has several components:

• An apoptotic action of the viral attack which will generate cellular destruction, whether pulmonary, cardiac or renal or maybe ocular
• A secondary autoimmune action with the development of major vascular inflammation, possibly reaching the retinal, choroidal, and optic nerve vessels. A secondary "hyper" inflammatory syndrome with flashing hypercytokinemia and multi-organ decompensation is described in 3,7% to 4 ,3% of severe cases.
• A thromboembolic action