Besides possibly affecting your vision, Covid-19 is sometimes transmitted through the eyes. When someone with coronavirus coughs, sneezes, talks or otherwise releases droplets into the air around you, these droplets can land on your eyes. Your body absorbs these droplets, just like if you breathe them into your lungs or swallow them. Any exposure to someone with the contagious illness is dangerous for this reason. This danger is even worse if you have pre-existing health problems or a weakened immune system.
 

Does coronavirus affect eye health?

According to the March 2020 edition of the Ocular Immunology and Inflammation journal, eye infection can stem from Covid-19. Coronavirus is also proven to cause eye infections in animals, according to research. But we have yet to research the frequency of occurrence in humans.

Conditions caused by coronavirus in rats, mice and cats include:

• Optic neuritis

• Retinitis

• Anterior uveitis

• Conjunctivitis
   

Researchers believe that your highest risk of these eye infections with Covid-19 comes from not seeking medical treatment when you have the coronavirus. With early treatment, you are at lower risk of eye health problems.
 

Can you get coronavirus through the eyes?

A respiratory specialist caring for coronavirus patients in China treated these patients without protective eyewear and experienced eye inflammation. The condition soon led to a fever and mucus production in his nose and throat. He tested positive for Covid-19 thereafter. As printed in The Lancet, ophthalmologists have concluded that exposing uncovered eyes to the respiratory illness allows it to infect the body. The same is true if you touch your eyes, such as for putting in contact lenses, after exposure to the virus.
 

Can I see an eye doctor during the pandemic?

If you have changes in your vision or problems with your eye health, you should definitely call your eye doctor. Eye pain, infection or vision loss can signal potentially major eye conditions. However, when you visit the eye doctor, you can expect some differences in how your treatment takes place.

Your vision clinic may have you wait in your car, instead of the waiting room, for the time leading up to your appointment and after check-in. This limits your exposure to other people and also potentially the highly contagious virus.

Your eye doctor and other care providers may wear a plastic face shield while examining your eyes or providing other treatment. This, or other eye protection, helps keep them healthy when seeing patients. They may also ask you not to speak during the exam or to maintain social distance from the doctor.
 

Maintaining Good Eye Health during Coronavirus

During the pandemic, you can take some steps to maintain good eye health. Some of these good eye health steps include:

• Wash your hands well before touching your eyes

• Wear glasses instead of contact lenses to reduce occurrences of touching your eyes

• Stock up on your eye medicine prescriptions

• Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes

• Always wash your hands well before administering eye medicine

• Stay six feet away from other people
   

Visit Your Eye Doctor to Maintain Good Eye Health

At Clarity Vision Eye Care Centers, your health is our top priority. We continue seeing patients during this pandemic at each of our locations with some changes in how we provide eye exams and treatment.

Our locations include:

• Apex, NC

• Clayton, NC

• Smithfield, NC

• Williamston, NC

• Holly Springs, NC

• Suffolk, VA

If you need an eye exam or experience eye health problems, now is not the time to neglect your vision. Schedule a visit with your nearest Clarity Vision Eye Care Center today.