Patients Infected With Coronavirus May Show Eye Symptoms | the Chronicle

Foreign body sensation, red eyes, watery discharge and pain are some of the eye symptoms that can occur in up to 7% of children and adults infected with coronavirus, according to a meta-analysis (statistical toolkit) of researchers from Taiwan and China, has been reported in recent hours.

“The cell receptors used by the virus, as well as its genome, are present in the conjunctival mucosa and the infected ocular surface, which shows that the virus could use the conjunctiva as a gateway to the body “, he claimed Victor Reviglio, professor and researcher in ophthalmology at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Cordoba, the CyTA-Leloir Agency reported today.

The new work analyzed 14 studies published before July 2020 and was published in “Taiwan Journal of Ophthalmology”. According to the authors, led by ophthalmologists David Hui-Kang Ma Yes Wei-Chi Wu, at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuán, Taiwan, conjunctival symptoms are the most common.

“Although the prevalence of eye symptoms is low in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, it is imperative for ophthalmologists to understand the full spectrum of symptoms and signs of Covid-19, including eye symptoms, as well. than adopting protective measures during clinical practice. “they declared.

Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been anecdotal reports of eye infection and description of retinal vascular and immunologic inflammatory lesions of the optic nerve and nervous system. disease associated with coronavirus infection.

“It is clear that we still do not know the implications of this virus in the immediate future, let alone in the long term. Investigating the infectious, immunological and inflammatory mechanisms associated with this disease and monitoring patients over time will shed light on these questions “concluded Reviglio, a specialist in infectious diseases of the cornea and ocular immunology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.

In this sense, ophthalmologists around the world are trying to decipher and better understand the biological mechanisms that regulate these pathological processes to improve their early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

There are over 500 research papers published on the impact of the coronavirus on the visual health of the human and animal population..

“Not only with regard to the ocular pathological changes of Covid, but also on strategies to improve visual health care in times of pandemic”, said Evangelina Espósito, ophthalmologist at the Reina Fabiola University Clinic and professor at the Catholic University of Cordoba. Espósito also noted that ocular manifestations of coronavirus therapies can occur.