Acute corneal graft rejection after anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 vaccination: A report of four cases

Abstract

Purpose

This study intends to add to previous reports on acute corneal graft rejection following anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 vaccination, providing data to corroborate a possible causative relationship between anti-COVID-19 immunization and corneal graft rejection, regardless of vaccine or graft type.

Methods and Results

This report describes 4 cases of acute-onset rejection as early as 5 days following the first dose of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 vaccine types not yet referred for corneal allograft. Patients were individually given the Moderna messenger RNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine (2 patients) and the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, AZD1222 (2 patients).

Conclusions

Even though a direct causative effect is hard to prove, temporal proximity between anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 vaccines of different types and consecutive reports of corneal graft rejection indicates the need for further investigation. Consistent advice must be given to corneal transplant patients regarding such risk.