Researchers link Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines to increased risk of eye occlusions

Some of the COVID-19 vaccines may be associated with an increase in eye occlusions in patients between 18 and 64 years of age. This is one of the conclusions of the evaluation of the risk of retinal vascular occlusion after COVID-19 vaccination, an analysis signed by a group of seven researchers from various universities in Taiwan and Stanford University in California. The assessment was published last week in the journal Nature and asserts that the link between an increase in these eye occlusions and COVID-19 vaccines is not coincidental.

An retinal vascular occlusion is a blood accumulation in the retina that can lead to serious problems, including loss of the eye. According to other studies referenced by the group of researchers, "SARS-CoV-2 infection can precipitate retinal vascular events," so the relationship with these occlusions should not be limited to vaccines, but to COVID-19 in general.

The study used the TriNetX global network, an anonymized medical database with information on people vaccinated between 2020 and 2022 worldwide. They excluded all those individuals who had problems with eye occlusions in the six months prior to vaccination and created groups of vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals with similar and optimal conditions for comparison.

Three times the risk of retinal vascular occlusion

The study found that vaccinated individuals had an increased risk of developing retinal vascular occlusions compared to unvaccinated individuals. Specifically, the risk of ocular thrombus increased by 119% in the two years following vaccination of individuals with a dose of Moderna and Pfizer. The risk is highest in the first twelve weeks after vaccination, 254% more than in the unvaccinated.

The article states that, despite the significant increase in cases of retinal occlusion, it remained an uncommon occurrence in vaccinated individuals. The researchers also add that the study had a number of limitations due to the model chosen to analyze the data. Conducting the study through TriNetX data did not allow for a complete analysis of all symptoms. "In summary, the data should be evaluated critically and cautiously due to the retrospective nature of this research," the study concludes.

Vaccine skepticism

This is not the first time that COVID vaccines have been linked to eye occlusions. In December 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admitted that Pfizer doses could cause blood clotting problems in people over 65. However, no action was taken.

There were always voices critical of the side effects of COVID vaccines, but they were not always welcome. In early 2022, Twitter deleted the account of one of the leading mRNA vaccine researchers and developers, Robert Malone, for being openly skeptical of the supposed benefits of vaccines. Only one year later, his account was reinstated.