Some LASIK Los Angeles patients are apprehensive about the COVID vaccines and how it affects their vision. There are fears of side effects as well as vision issues. Doctor Moosa, one of the best LASIK surgeons in Los Angeles says it is the main reason some people are hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccine. At the moment, there’s no evidence that any of the vaccines cause overall vision-related side effects. Presently, three vaccines are being used in the United States:
Pfizer-BioNTech, now completely approved by the FDA under the brand name Comirnaty.
Moderna.
Johnson & Johnson / Janssen.
The CDC says, many vaccine side effects are moderate, and are “normal signs that the body is building protection.” LASIK surgeons in Los Angeles inform us that they do not include eye- or vision-related symptoms.
These common side effects include:
Redness, pain, and/or swelling in the arm where you got the injection.
Fatigue, headache, chills, muscle pain, fever and/or nausea.
These prevalent reactions usually go away within a few days.
What Are The Rare Reactions To The Johnson & Johnson Vaccine?
In some instances, a blood-clotting condition called TTS (Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome) can happen in the weeks following a Johnson & Johnson vaccination. TTS is extremely rare and happens in around 3 in every 1 million adults.
The best laser eye surgery doctors in Los Angeles say that blurry vision can be a symptom of TTS, plus several other symptoms.
Also, the rare nerve condition Guillain-Barre syndrome has been noticed in around eight in every one million adults vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Guillain-Barre syndrome can cause eye-related symptoms such as double vision and issues moving the eyes, along with other neurological symptoms.
If you detect any symptoms of TTS or Guillain-Barre in the days or weeks after a J&J vaccine, get medical help immediately.
Although these are uncommon reactions, the CDC has emphasized that — compared to a COVID-19 infection — the advantages of the J&J vaccine cancel out any risks.
Eye Issues Linked To Other Vaccines
Although the COVID-19 vaccines have still not caused notable side effects yet related to vision, vaccines for many other conditions have been connected to eye and vision issues.
Seasonal flu vaccine
In exceptional cases, some patients who’ve got the flu vaccine experienced mild symptoms such as eye redness, eye pain, and blurred vision.
Common side effects of the flu vaccine include:
Headache
Redness, soreness, or swelling at the injection spot
Fever
Nausea
Muscle aches
Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Vaccine
Some studies reveal that optic neuritis is an unusual complication from the vaccine for the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine. Optic neuritis is inflammation altering the optic nerve that transmits cues from the back of the eye to the brain.
Typically, side effects of the MMR vaccine include:
Mild rash
Swollen cheek or neck gland
Fever
Temporary joint pain (significantly in adolescent and adult females)
Rare side effects consist of short-term seizures and low platelet count. The MMR vaccine can lead to deafness, long-term seizures, coma, or brain damage in sporadic instances.
Chickenpox and shingles vaccines
Research has found rare corneal inflammation in children (chickenpox) and adults (shingles) after receiving the zoster virus vaccine for both conditions.
Common side effects from the chickenpox vaccine consist of the following:
Temporary joint pain and stiffness
Mild rash and soreness at the injection spot
Fever
For the shingles vaccine, typical side effects are:
Swelling, redness, soreness, and at the injection site
Muscle pain
Tiredness
Headache
Fever
Shivering
Stomach pain and nausea