Ocular findings in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in an outbreak hospital

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the ocular findings observed in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and to present the relationship between ocular involvement, systemic findings, and laboratory results. Material and Methods This cross‐sectional study was carried out between 1 May and 30 June 2020. The study included 359 patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 and assessed by clinical evaluation, nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction, and lung computed tomography. Results One hundred ninety‐seven (54.9%) of the patients were male and 162 (45.1%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 58.5 years (20‐91). Two hundred ninety‐four (81.9%) patients were treated in the inpatient clinic and 65 (18.1%) patients were treated in the intensive care unit. Various ocular diseases were observed in 16 (4.5%) of the patients. Although the rate of ocular disease was 12 out of 294 (4.1%) in patients followed up in the inpatient clinic, this rate was 4 out of 65 (6.2%) in intensive care patients. There was no systemic problem in one patient, in whom conjunctival hyperemia was the first and only reason for admission to the hospital. Four patients followed up in the inpatient clinic had conjunctivitis at the time of admission, and conjunctivitis occurred in three patients during hospitalization. Subconjunctival hemorrhage occurred in five patients and vitreous hemorrhage in one patient. Conclusion Ocular diseases are uncommon in COVID‐19 patients but may occur during the first period of the disease or during follow‐up. Ocular diseases may be the initial or only sign of COVID‐19 infection. Highlights Ocular diseases are not common in patients with COVID‐19. Ocular diseases may occur during the initial period of infection or during follow‐up. The most frequently reported ocular finding in patients with COVID‐19 to date is conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis may be the initial and only sign of COVID‐19 in some patients. Ocular symptoms of COVID‐19 are often self‐limiting and can be treated with symptomatic treatment.