Tamar Rabinovitch1, Yael Ben-Arie-Weintrob2, Tamar Hareuveni-Blum3, Boaz Shaer4, Vicktoria Vishnevskia-Dai5, Shiri Shulman1, Hadas Newman1, Muhammad Biadsy6, Dua Masarwa6, Naomi Fischer7, Oren Yovel8, Shalhevet Goldfeather-Ben Zaken8, Zohar Habot-Wilner1. 1. Division of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. 2. Department of Ophthalmology, Rambam Medical Center, The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine,Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. 3. Department of Ophthalmology, Galilee Medical Center, Bar Ilan University, Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Israel. 4. Department of Ophthalmology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. 5. Department of Ophthalmology, Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. 6. Department of Ophthalmology, Barzilai Medical Center, Ashkelon, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba, Israel. 7. Department of Ophthalmology, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; and. 8. Department of Ophthalmology, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To describe uveitis cases after the BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. METHODS: This is a multicenter, retrospective study. Vaccine-related uveitis diagnosis was supported by the classification of the World Health Organization Adverse Drug Terminology and the Naranjo criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (23 eyes) with a mean age of 51.3 years (23-78 years) were included. Eight of the 21 patients had a known history of uveitis. The median time from previous to current attack was 1 year (0.5-15 years). There were 21 anterior uveitis cases, two with bilateral inflammation. Eight cases occurred after the first vaccination and 13 after the second vaccination. All but three presented as mild to moderate disease. Two patients developed multiple evanescent white dot syndrome after the second vaccination. The mean time from vaccination to uveitis onset was 7.5 ± 7.3 days (1-30 days). At final follow-up, complete resolution was achieved in all but two eyes, which showed significant improvement. One case of severe anterior uveitis developed vitritis and macular edema after the second vaccination, which completely resolved after an intravitreal dexamethasone injection. CONCLUSION: Uveitis may develop after the administration of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. The most common complication was mild to moderate anterior uveitis, while multiple evanescent white dot syndrome can also occur less frequently.
PURPOSE: To describe uveitis cases after the BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. METHODS: This is a multicenter, retrospective study. Vaccine-related uveitis diagnosis was supported by the classification of the World Health Organization Adverse Drug Terminology and the Naranjo criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (23 eyes) with a mean age of 51.3 years (23-78 years) were included. Eight of the 21 patients had a known history of uveitis. The median time from previous to current attack was 1 year (0.5-15 years). There were 21 anterior uveitis cases, two with bilateral inflammation. Eight cases occurred after the first vaccination and 13 after the second vaccination. All but three presented as mild to moderate disease. Two patients developed multiple evanescent white dot syndrome after the second vaccination. The mean time from vaccination to uveitis onset was 7.5 ± 7.3 days (1-30 days). At final follow-up, complete resolution was achieved in all but two eyes, which showed significant improvement. One case of severe anterior uveitis developed vitritis and macular edema after the second vaccination, which completely resolved after an intravitreal dexamethasone injection. CONCLUSION: Uveitis may develop after the administration of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. The most common complication was mild to moderate anterior uveitis, while multiple evanescent white dot syndrome can also occur less frequently.