A Case of Atypical Unilateral Optic Neuritis Following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination

Shuntaro Motegi, Takayuki Kanda, Kei Takayama and Masaru Takeuchi*

Department of Ophthalmology, National Defense Medical College, Japan

^*Correspondance to: Masaru Takeuchi 

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Abstract:

Background: We report a case of atypical unilateral optic neuritis after receiving BNT162b2 mRNAbased COVID-19 vaccine. Case Report: An 86-year-old man complained of blurred vision and decreased visual acuity in the right eye 8 days after receiving the second BNT162b2 mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, and was referred to our hospital. He also had pain with eye movement. Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) in the right eye was 20/200 and critical flicker frequency dropped to 16 Hz. Relative afferent pupillary defects was positive, and cecocentral scotoma were observed. Fundus examination and SD-OCT revealed optic disc swelling and apparent thickening of the retinal nerve fiber layer around the optic disc in the right eye. However, since either increase in CRP or ESR on laboratory tests, demyelinating lesion on MRI, or positive of anti-MOG antibodies or anti-AQP4 antibodies were not observed, we diagnosed atypical optic neuritis developed after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-based vaccination. Conclusion: Ophthalmologists and physicians should be aware about the risk of atypical optic neuritis after COVID-19 vaccination.

Keywords:

COVID-19; Optic neuritis; mRNA vaccine; Vaccination

Cite the Article:

Motegi S, Kanda T, Takayama K, Takeuchi M. A Case of Atypical Unilateral Optic Neuritis following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2022; 7: 2215..