Does wearing contact lenses put you at higher risk of getting COVID-19?

Can the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is liable for COVID-19, be transmitted through tears or touching the eyes? Are contact lens wearers due to this fact at greater risk? As these questions arise, here's what you must know.

A Chinese ophthalmologist was considered one of the primary victims of COVID-19 after being exposed to an asymptomatic patient. He raised questions on the possible presence of the virus in the attention Possible transmission through tears. Some organizations were quick. Issue advice. related Potential danger Wearing contact lenses during a pandemic.

However, these positions have to be qualified by the evidence that has since proliferated. It is now possible to properly advise spectacle wearers based on the most recent scientific developments.

Respect hygiene measures.

Let's prove immediately that wearing contact lenses is secure so long as patients follow the vital hygiene measures. This conclusion follows from a Literature review Published April 22, based on nearly 200 peer-reviewed articles.

Some of those articles report the power of the virus to bind to cells. Eye level Due to Relationship of 1 or other of its constituents. However, such restriction doesn't routinely translate into the power of the virus to cause eye infections.

In fact, due to the frequent blinking and tear exchange, the virus is far less prone to stay on the surface of the attention long enough to cause problems. Similar concerns have been expressed about other diseases, e.g Aids or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Traces of those pathogens have been present in the tears of patients, but no cases of direct infection or transmission through the ocular surface have ever been documented. This is the case with COVID-19.

Rare eye damage

Ocular manifestations because of COVID-19 are rare. Less than after they occur One percent Affected people develop eye irritation in the shape of conjunctivitis, a gentle inflammation of the white of the attention (conjunctivitis). Generally, viruses, and never bacteria, are The main cause of conjunctivitis.

COVID-19 conjunctivitis can last 10 to twenty days after the primary symptoms related to the virus appear. Rarely, the cornea can be affected, in such cases This is called keratoconjunctivitis.. These conditions are well controlled with routine treatment for these diagnoses, with no major long-term complications.

Are contact lenses vector?

Contact lenses are worn by greater than 140 million people worldwide. Very effective and safe How to correct perspective.

The first factor to think about is the lens itself. Could it's a vector for the spread of the virus?

Although the virus can survive on inert surfaces, there are not any studies demonstrating that within the ocular environment, the virus can colonize and survive within the lens. Therefore, the lens can't be seriously regarded as a vector of disease transmission or spread. The use of day by day disposable (single-use) lenses further reduces this possibility. This is the mode of damage. Recognized as the most secure. For eye health in all conditions.

Another factor is lens handling, which involves touching the eyes during lens insertion and removal. It appears that Hand washing is generally recommended While wearing the lens, is equal More important in a pandemic.

It is really helpful that hands be thoroughly dried before handling lenses as tap water could also be contaminated with pathogens aside from SARS-CoV-2, which is more dangerous and harmful to the attention. Never wash your lenses or lens case with tap water., allow them to store in it. Hands ought to be dried with disposable paper towels, not reusable towels that might be easily contaminated.

Finally, lenses ought to be cared for with products really helpful by eye care professionals and specifically formulated for this purpose. Ideally, a Peroxide solution Should be used for disinfection and overnight soaking. A saline solution formulated for contact lenses ought to be used to clean the lenses within the morning before insertion.

Glasses should not the answer.

For those that are hesitant, is it higher to wear glasses while waiting to get back to normal? The answer is not any. In fact, it has been shown that glasses are sometimes poorly adjusted and slip, forcing the person to the touch their face more often than in the event that they were wearing lenses, more often than not already. Without washing hands. Hence the chance of transmission increases proportionally.

This risk is more present for the reason that virus. Can survive on plastic for several days. Likewise on the frames. Contamination by droplets to which an individual is exposed and the opportunity of virus adhesion to this surface is bigger within the case of contact lenses. Finally, the glasses don't act as a shield against the virus: the nose and mouth are the doorway doors. In short, regular corrective glasses Not to be considered a personal protective device Against COVID-19.

In the rare event that a contact lens wearer develops unusual symptoms (redness, pain, sensitivity to light, foreign body sensation, abnormal discharge during or after contact lens wear), they need to see an ophthalmologist immediately. An ophthalmologist or ophthalmologist ought to be consulted. A distant (telemedicine) or, if needed, in-office consultation might be arranged immediately.

Some hygiene suggestions

Although the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus has been observed within the tears of some in poor health patients, it is very unlikely that this route of transmission results in systemic disease or local infection of the attention.

In these situations, contact lenses might be considered secure to wear provided the next hygiene recommendations are strictly followed:

1. Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling contact lenses.

2. Dry hands thoroughly with a clean, disposable cloth.

3. Do not use tap water to clean, clean or soak lenses, even temporarily.

4. If you possibly can, use disposable soft lenses daily (single use), so no solutions or cases are needed.

5. If reusable lenses are worn, use only lens care products really helpful by your eye care skilled.

6. Replace the lens case after greater than two months. Clean it day by day with contact lens solution. Do not use water, boil it or put it within the dishwasher.

7. Avoid sleeping with contact lenses.

8. If any unusual symptoms appear, seek the advice of an ophthalmologist or ophthalmologist immediately.