Review of Ocular Manifestations and Drugs Used for the Treatment of Ocular Complaints in COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 has been infrequently isolated from conjunctival swabs; it is associated with ocular manifestations, including conjunctivitis, blurred vision, dry eye, and hyperemia in patients with confirmed COVID-19. In some cases, ocular manifestations may be the first and only symptoms of COVID-19 related to the greater severity of the systemic disease. According to the eye manifestations, physicians have prescribed different medications. For example, drugs such as azithromycin eye drops, dexamethasone, moxifloxacin, and ganciclovir ophthalmic gel have been used for the treatment of conjunctivitis. The role of ophthalmologists in the prevention and screening of COVID-19 is highlighted due to the ocular manifestations. The most common ocular symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection, treatment, and potential side effects of drugs utilized to combat these complications are reviewed in this article.