28-year-old with COVID-19 suffers vision loss following fungal infection

BMJ Case Reports authors have described their treatment of a patient who presented to hospital with swelling and vision loss in his right eye. 

The 28-year-old described to medical staff a history of coughing and fever.

An examination revealed a proptosis of the right eye with conjunctival congestion and swollen upper and lower eyelids.

Further testing revealed a COVID-19 infection, while a chest radiograph confirmed the patient had COVID-19 pneumonia.

An orbital biopsy suggested a diagnosis of the opportunistic fungal infection, mucormycosis. Clinicians ruled out immune deficiency syndromes, including HIV.

The patient was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat a probable COVID-19 pneumonia infection and an anti-fungal agent for the treatment of rhino-orbital mucormycosis.

Clinicians performed surgery to remove the contents of the right orbit and infected tissue from the sinus.

He was disease-free at a follow up two months after his recovery from COVID-19.