Aim We report two cases of endothelial corneal allograft rejection following immunisation with SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine BNT162b2 and describe the implications for management of transplant recipients postvaccination for COVID-19. Methods A 66-year-old woman with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) and a unilateral Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) transplant received COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 14 days post-transplant. Seven days later, she presented with symptoms and signs of endothelial graft rejection. An 83-year-old woman with bilateral DMEK transplants for FECD 3 and 6 years earlier developed simultaneous acute endothelial rejection in both eyes, 3 weeks post second dose of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2. Rejection in both cases was treated successfully with topical corticosteroids. Conclusions We believe this is the first report of temporal association between corneal transplant rejection following immunisation against COVID-19 and the first report of DMEK rejection following any immunisation. We hypothesise that the allogeneic response may have been initiated by the host antibody response following vaccination. Clinicians and patients should be aware of the potential of corneal graft rejection associated with vaccine administration and may wish to consider vaccination in advance of planned non-urgent keratoplasties. Patients should be counselled on the symptoms and signs that require urgent review to allow early treatment of any confirmed rejection episode.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of surgery restrictions on cataract surgery performance. Setting: Moorfields Eye Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. Design: Retrospective, observational cross-sectional study. Methods: A single-center, retrospective review of all patients who underwent phacoemulsification surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital between September 2019 and January 2021 was conducted. The main outcome measure was posterior capsule rupture (PCR) rate before and after COVID-19–imposed restrictions to elective cataract surgery. Results: A total of 15 688 surgeries were performed by 256 different surgeons in the study period. In the prerestriction period (September 2019 to March 2020), the PCR rate was 0.99%, whereas in the 19-week postrestriction period, the PCR rate spiked to 1.62% (odds ratio 1.65; P = .001; CI 1.24 to 2.20; relative risk: 1.64). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to assess a large group of surgeons' performances after prolonged surgical abstinence. A 19-week restriction period in surgical activity showed an increased incidence of PCR complications. This is relevant because it can concern any surgeon on the extended time off from work such as sick, sabbatical, research, and parental leave. Supporting strategies should be implemented by associated regulators to minimize this negative impact.

Purpose We describe the outcomes of intraocular lens (IOL) explantation in a cluster of opaque multifocal Lentis LS-313 following refractive lens exchange (RLE). Methods Single-centre, single-surgeon, retrospective case series. Results The study enrolled 10 eyes of 10 patients, 6 male and 4 female. All patients had uneventful RLE with multifocal IOL implantation. The mean patient age at the time of RLE was 53 years ± 2.52 (SD). Two eyes had YAG laser capsulotomy prior to explantation. The mean interval between the initial RLE and IOL explantation was 5.4 years ± 1.4 (SD). IOL exchange was performed in all eyes in one procedure. Five eyes had in the bag hydrophobic acrylic IOL (3 multifocal and 2 monofocal), three eyes had 3-piece hydrophobic acrylic IOL in the ciliary sulcus and two had an anterior chamber IOL. Intraoperatively one patient had weak zonules and two patients had zonular dehiscence and required anterior vitrectomy. The mean preoperative CDVA was 0.25 ± 0.15 (SD) logMAR and at the final follow-up, improved to 0.00 ± 0.07 (SD) logMAR (p < 0.01). Light microscopy with von Kossa stain confirmed IOL calcification. No postoperative complications were recorded. Conclusions IOL exchange appears to be a feasible and safe surgical option for multifocal IOL opacification. However, patients must be warned of additional intraoperative risks including zonular dialysis, vitreous loss, retinal detachment and need for potential scleral or iris fixated IOL or anterior chamber IOL (ACIOL) with its associated sequel of complications. Moreover, YAG laser capsulotomy should be considered carefully as it increases the chances of intraoperative complications and restricts the surgical options of secondary IOL insertion such as in-the-bag IOL exchange with MFIOL.