Central retinal vein occlusion secondary to varicella zoster retinal vasculitis in an immunocompetent individual during the COVID-19 pandemic - A case report

Abstract

We report the occurrence of unilateral central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in a young yoga enthusiast who presented amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Subtle signs of uveitis when systemically investigated revealed a multitude of causes, but ocular fluid polymerase chain reaction was positive for varicella zoster virus (VZV). The prompt initiation of antivirals resulted in a good visual outcome. Our case describes the rare presentation of VZV retinal vasculitis as CRVO in a young healthy individual and highlights the importance of early antiviral therapy for favorable outcomes.

Keywords

• central retinal vein occlusion
• covid-19
• polymerase chain reaction
• retinal vasculitis
• varicella zoster virus infection
• yoga