You’ve been covering your nose and mouth with a face mask, but what about your eyes?
A new study found that it's possible for coronavirus to enter through the eyes.
A review of 172 studies from 16 countries published in The Lancet found that wearing eye protection may provide a defense against viruses like COVID 19, SARS, and MERS.
But does that mean you need to run out and buy protective eyewear? Here’s what you need to know.
The study notes eye protection may make transmission of the novel virus three times less likely. Additionally, the risk of transmission was down from 16% to 5.5% for average people who protected their eyes with goggles while also wearing face shields and other protective equipment compared to those who didn’t have an eye covering.
However, the CDC has excluded the general public from its formal guidelines focusing on eye protection for health care workers and giving them an option to wear it in “areas with minimal to no community transmission.”
Related
How might the virus spread through the eyes? The American Optometric Association reported that coronavirus might enter the body through the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that covers part of the front surface of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids.
It is reported that it then spreads throughout the person’s body through blood vessels within the conjunctiva.
In March, the American Academy of Ophthalmology shared an alert warning that COVID-19 may cause conjunctivitis, or pink eye, in about 1-3% of infected people.
Rubbing itchy eyes or a runny nose are quick ways to pass the virus from your hands to your internal system. Avoid touching your face by using tissues, eye drops, and distractions for your hands.
"It usually happens because of contact," NBC News medical correspondent Dr. John Torres told TODAY. "You touch something, and you rub your eye and you get it in that way."
Another way it may enter is if someone coughs or sneezes on you when you have no eye protection.
Torres explained that though it’s possible, it’s less common to enter through your eyes because your first reaction when someone sneezes or coughs is to blink thus preventing droplets from entering your eyes.
Related
The decision to wear protective goggles is personal, but Torres suggests wearing glasses or goggles in an area where social distancing isn’t possible or where there are a lot of people who are sneezing and coughing.
“For the majority of us just walking around every day, especially outside, other than sunglasses or regular vision glasses, I'm not sure that (eye protection, like goggles) would add that much benefit,” he told the publication.
While personal eyeglasses or contact lenses may be fine for the average person, the CDC notes they “are not considered adequate eye protection" for healthcare workers.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram