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People who try to kill the coronavirus with ultraviolet-C germicidal lamps can risk painful eye injuries if they’re not careful, according to a recent study.
Florida researchers report at least seven cases of patients with UVC damage to the cornea, the outer layer of the eye, which left them with a burning sensation and sensitivity to light after using the lamps, according to a report published in Ocular Immunology and Inflammation.
“The clear part of the eye’s surface is very sensitive to the wavelength of light from these lamps,” said Dr. Jesse Sengillo, ophthalmologist at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Health System.
The eye injury is “like a sunburn on the cornea,” Sengillo said. “It’s quite painful, and it takes a few days to heal. People often have trouble opening their eyes because they’re sensitive to light and their eyes are red and itchy. One patient said,“ My eyes are on fire. “”
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The burning sensation does not occur immediately, so some patients did not realize that they had damaged their eyes using UVC lamps hours earlier.
People who want to use the lamps should turn them on and then leave the room until it is time to turn them off, Sengillo said.
Sengillo suggests that anyone who has eye pain after using the germicidal lamps see a doctor for ointments to relieve the burning sensation and get antibiotics, as these wounds are susceptible to infection.
Patients continued to infiltrate the Eye Institute, Sengillo said. “We have noticed that they seem to come in waves,” he said. “We have noticed that as Covid-19 infections have increased in Miami, cases of corneal damage are starting to appear again.”
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Beyond Miami, it’s unclear how common eye damage from UVC lamps is, but the reports did not surprise Dr Deepinder Dhaliwal, an ophthalmologist from Pittsburgh.
“We are all now trying to increase safety for the public, and these UVC devices can be very useful antimicrobials,” said Dhaliwal, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The light they emit “seems relatively harmless, and if people aren’t aware that they shouldn’t be looking directly into the light, they may not realize it’s harmful.”
Food and Drug Administration suggests UVC radiation could inactivate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, but warns of reports of skin and eye burns caused by improper installation of lamps UVC in the bedrooms.
“People understand that when they go out in the sun they can get sunburnt,” Dhaliwal said. “What they might not realize is that even though it is UVC, it can also cause damage. The eye is vulnerable and if you are going to use this type of device, you should wear eye protection. “
It’s also possible that people are in a place that has a UVC lamp and not realize that it could hurt their eyes, Dhaliwal said. “If you walk into a room and see a funny light, don’t look at it directly and use eye protection.”
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