COVID-19, Vaccines, and Retinal Vascular Disease

A global systematic review of 173 studies found differing associations between COVID-19 infection and vaccination and retinal vascular events, with retinal artery occlusion more common after infection and retinal vein occlusion more common after vaccination.

By: Nirojini Sivachandran, MD, PhD, FRCSC

Retinal Physician May 15, 2026

5 Key Takeaways

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A systematic review of 173 studies found differing associations between COVID-19 infection and vaccination and retinal vascular events.
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Retinal artery occlusion was more common after COVID-19 infection, while retinal vein occlusion was more common after vaccination.
3

The mRNA vaccine platform was linked to a higher rate of ocular adverse events compared to other vaccine types.
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The pooled relative risk for retinal vein occlusion was found to be 2.4, but results were statistically inconclusive.
5

Retina physicians should consider retinal vein occlusion and white dot syndrome in patients with COVID-19 infection or vaccination.

Ashley Brissette

Ophthalmologist

Affiliations: Kelly Vision

Specialties: Surgery

Bio: Ashley Brissette is an ophthalmologist at Kelly Vision in New York City. In her Ophthalmology Management article, she describes using social media as an extension of patient education to reinforce refractive surgery decision-making and improve patient understanding. She notes a transition from a decade in academic medicine into private practice, and her current work focuses on creating clear, patient-centered digital educational content across social platforms.

PentaVision

Retinal Physician

COVID-19, Vaccines, and Retinal Vascular Disease

5 Key Takeaways

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