Abstract

Study Design: Single center, retrospective comparative study of PFR cases presenting before and after the first wave of COVID.
Methods: Patients underwent clinical examination, fundus fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. Investigations included tests for HIV, syphilis, tuberculosis, dengue, chikungunya, malaria, typhoid, rickettsial infections and COVID-19. Patients were evaluated for significant differences in clinical presentation, laboratory reports, distribution of retinitis lesions, pattern of leak in FFA, neovascularisation and treatment regime.
Results: Eyes affected during post-COVID period exhibited significantly higher degrees of vitreous inflammation, posterior pole involvement, vasculitis and neovascularisation. Weil Felix test positivity was significantly higher post COVID.
Conclusion: The higher incidence of positive Weil Felix test suggests a potential association between rickettsial infections and post-COVID PFR, warranting further investigation.

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