Optic Nerve Head Parameters and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019

Abstract

Purpose: To quantify the optic nerve head (ONH) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness in patients with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and compare the measurements with a healthy control group.

Methods: In a comparative cross-sectional observational study, ONH and pRNFL thickness were evaluated in patients with a history of COVID-19, at least 2 weeks after recovery from the systemic disease, and compared with an age-matched, normal control group.

Results: Thirty COVID-19 patients along with 60 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were studied. Mean average pRNFL thickness was 105.0 ± 16.3 µm in the COVID-19 patients, compared to 99.0 ± 9.0 µm in the controls (p = .31). The pRNFL thicknesses in all sectors was higher in patients with a history of COVID-19; however, this did not reach statistical significance. Similarly, ONH parameters were not significantly different between the groups.

Conclusion: Patients recovered from COVID-19 had unremarkable alterations in the peripapillary RNFL thickness.

Abbreviations: ONH: Optic Nerve HeadRNFL: Retinal Nerve Fiber LayerSD-OCT: Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence TomographyCOVID-19: Coronavirus Disease 2019SARS-CoV-2: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2CNS: Central Nervous SystemACE: Angiotensin-Converting EnzymeRT-PCR: Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT); Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); optic disc; optic nerve head; retinal nerve fiber layer.