Page 32 - The Indian Optician Digital Edition March-April 2021
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MRI SCAN REVEALS
The study included 40
EYE NODULES IN PATIENTS eyes of 40 patients with
POST COVID-19 acne vulgaris. The study
team examined each patient
Researchers have found one or several nodules of with SD-OCT at baseline, at
important abnormalities the posterior pole of the one, three and six months of
in the eyes of some people globe,” said study lead isotretinoin treatment and at
with severe COVID-19, using author Augustin Lecler, MD, the third month of washout.
ocular magnetic resonance PhD, associate professor They found that there was a
imaging (MRI) scans. at the University of Paris huge increase in all sectors of
and neuroradiologist
As reported in Radiology, from the Department of the epithelial thickness map
the French Society of Neuroradiology at the between baseline and follow-
Neuroradiology (SFNR) Foundation Adolphe de up, except in the inferonasal
initiated a study of 129 Rothschild Hospital in Paris. 7mm to 9mm region. The
patients with a history of increases noted in the superior,
severe COVID-19 between “Severe eye problems inferior and maximum values
March 4 and May 1, 2020, might largely go unnoticed in epithelial statistics were
who underwent brain MRI. as these patients are often noteworthy. At the time of
treated in intensive care follow-up, stromal statistical
Of the 129 patients – units for much more severe,
43 women and 86 men life-threatening conditions,” values were substantial for
– nine (7 percent) had he added. decreases in the superior,
abnormal MRI finding in inferior, minimum and
the globe of the eye, the “Our study advocates maximum values.
team revealed. All nine for screening of all patients The research team also
patients had nodules in the hospitalised in the ICU for
macular region, the area of severe COVID-19,” Dr. Lecler found that there was a
the eye that is responsible said. “We believe those noticeable difference amongst
for central vision. Eight patients should receive the central corneal thickness,
patients had nodules in specific eye-protective maximum Ambrosio-related
both eyes. Two had nodules treatments.” thickness and average
outside the macular region. pachymetric progression at
Of the nine patients with In clinical practice, all follow-ups, as well as a
eye nodules, two had screening efforts could significant difference between
diabetes, six were obese include using high- the thinnest pachymetry and
and two had hypertension. resolution MRI to explore surface variance at three and
the eyes, as well as
six months. Additionally, there
“We showed that a fundoscopy, and optical
few patients with severe coherence tomography to was a regression in parameters
COVID-19 from the French check for the presence of to baseline values by the third
COVID-19 cohort had posterior pole nodules. month of washout. Due to
these findings, the researchers
suggested isotretinoin induces
changes at the molecular level
ACNE MEDICATION CAN LEAD TO in ocular tissues following
CORNEAL REMODELLING drug exposure.
The study team
The drug, retinoid Recently, a study was concluded that isotretinoin
isotretinoin, is often used to conducted to evaluate the side results in remodelling of the
treat people who have severe effects of isotretinoin and it corneal layers, resulting in
acne. Although the drug is was found that it also induces statistical differences in surface
helpful for treating acne, it also epithelial thickening and variance and pachymetry-
contributes to dry eye. stromal thinning. related parameters.
| MAR-APR 2021 | 28 OPHTHALMIC NEWS
Mar-Apr 2021 SK News.indd 7 27-04-2021 15:45
