Mucormycosis (Black fungus) infection in eye: Facts and myths

Mucormycosis :

• Aggressive opportunistic fungal infection.
• Black fungus - characteristic black colored appearance of skin and mucosal lesions.
• Mucor spores are commonly found in environment in soil, air, moist damp surfaces and decaying matter.

Predisposing factors :

• Not a new disease
• Immunosuppressed individuals - chemotherapy, post transplant, on immunomodulator drugs
• Sudden spike of cases in COVID-19 times
• Both + and COVID recovered patients

COVID-19 + MUCOR

ROCM – when and how to suspect

• Facial pain / swelling, Headache
• Nose block, nasal crusting, blackish discharge
• Thickening of skin / loss of sensations around nose, cheek and eyes

Eye symptoms

• Eye pain
• Redness
• Eye swelling, drooping of eye lid
• Discharge / watering
• Prominent / protrusion of eye
• Blurring / Loss of vision
• Restriction of eye movements – Frozen immobile eye

Oral symptoms

• Difficulty chewing
• Opening mouth
• Black ulcers on palate / oral cavity
• Difficulty swallowing

Regular self exam

• Full face exam in daylight
• Face- Facial swelling / discoloration / hardening / pain on touch
• Nose- Torchlight- black areas / swelling inside nose
• Mouth- Loose teeth / black areas over palate and teeth
• Eyes