Title:Is Ocular Toxicity Expected in Chloroquine/Hydroxychloroquine Prescription as a Therapeutic or Prophylactic Option in COVID-19?
Volume: 15
Issue: 2
Author(s): Masood Bagheri*, Zahra Rashe, Mohammad H. Ahur and Mojtaba Eidizadeh
Affiliation:
- Department of Ophthalmology, Imam Khomeini Eye Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah,Iran
Keywords:
Coronavirus, COVID19, pandemic, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, ophthalmology.
Abstract: Background: On 11th March 2020, WHO announced novel coronavirus infectious
(COVID-19) as a pandemic. New Coronavirus Pneumonia (NCP) that emerge on 31st
December 2019 from China and quickly became a Public Health Emergency of International
Concern (PHEIC). In the absence of evidence-based proven prophylactic or therapeutic
options, chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (CQ/HCQ) patented as first line choice in COVID-
19 treatment, which raised concerns about drug poisoning, especially ocular toxicity.
Objective: This study aims to investigate the possibility of ocular toxicity and the need for
ophthalmic counseling to prescribing this therapeutic protocol.
Methods: All the articles that were most relevant to the COVID-19 therapeutic or prophylactic
options and CQ derivative ocular toxicity, were founded by a literature search and
were thoroughly reviewed.
Results: Anecdotal recent reports introduce CQ/HCQ as an effective therapeutic or prophylactic
choice for COVID-19. Because of the short time prescribe and the insignificant cumulative
dose of the drug on the one hand and a higher risk of cross-infection during an ophthalmic examination,
on the other hand, an ophthalmologic consult is not recommended except in highrisk
patients for retinal toxicity.
Conclusion: This study recommended ophthalmic evaluation before CQ/HCQ prescription
for treatment or prophylaxis of COVID-19 only in preexisting maculopathy.
