Could COVID-19 Spread Through EYES?

There have always been doubts in everyone's mind that COVID only affects our respiratory system, but COVID patients have shown signs of conjunctivitis which is an eye infection. Our expert Dr. Sreenivas Gouripeddi, MS, Associate Professor (ENT), Sri Venkateshwara Medical College shared some tips to protect our eyes from COVID-19.

COVID-19 can spread through eyes just as it can spread through nose and mouth. When someone coughs or sneezes, the droplets in the air may come in contact with a person’s eyes and travel through their nose to reach the lungs, which are all connected internally. We talked to Dr. Sreenivas Gouripeddi, MS, Associate Professor (ENT), Sri Venkateshwara Medical College, Tirupati and he says, “It has now become advisable to especially the frontline workers to wear a face shield along with a mask in order to protect the eyes from the infection. Earlier it was not proved, but now studies have shown that conjunctivitis is also a symptom of COVID-19, which we all know is an eye infection. But here, the virus travels down to lungs causing the novel coronavirus disease”.

Therefore now, along with covering your face, covering your eyes will also become important while stepping out of your home. Dr. Sreenivas recommends a few tips to remember:

1. Face Shields/ Eye Covers
   Face shield and eye covers are important if you are stepping out in a crowded place and staying there for a longer time. Especially for the people traveling from one city to another, via planes or trains, etc. covering your eyes with goggles or a face shield (if easily available) will be a good idea.
2. Spectacles or Sunglasses
   Wearing spectacles or sunglasses may provide partial protection, but there will be chances of the particles entering from the exposed sides, hence not ensuring 100% security. Therefore, Safety Goggles, similar to the ones worn while swimming, will be a better option, but one pair of these goggles should not be used for more than six times.
3. Stop Touching
   We all have the habit of touching our face and rubbing the eyes, but it is recommended to keep your hands away from your face, unless they are washed with soap and water or cleaned with a sanitizer properly. Use a fresh tissue in case you want to adjust your glasses.
4. Temporarily Say No To Contact Lenses
   It is suggested that people should switch from wearing contact lenses to wearing specks instead. Wearing lenses involves touching the eyes with our hands and the virus can sit underneath the lens, which is why it is not advisable right now.
5. Social Distance
   Maintaining a proper distance in public places has been advised since the very beginning of the pandemic and is still advisable. It is important to maintain a safe distance from the people around you, since there can be asymptomatic people in the crowd as well causing the spread of the virus.

Therefore, covering your eyes along with your nose and mouth are now important. For some time, we need to forget about our looks and need to follow all the instructions given by the experts, if we wish to stay safe. Because any day, “Precaution is better than cure”!