People who wear glasses are less likely to catch COVID-19, new study finds

People who wear glasses could be up to three times less likely to contract coronavirus, according to a new study in India.

The preliminary study suggests that glass wearers may have additional protection as they tend to touch their eyes less frequently than most people.

“Touching and rubbing the eyes with contaminated hands can be a significant route of infection” for COVID-19, the authors wrote in a report posted on medRxiv, a website that compiles medical studies before their peer review .

The new study found that the risk of infection was two to three times lower in those who wear glasses for “long periods” – at least eight hours a day, according to the report.

Indian researchers described the results as “statistically significant”.

The study was conducted last summer in the northern district of Kanpur Dehat. It concerned 304 patients aged 10 to 80 years. All showed symptoms of coronavirus and around 60 were considered long-time glass carriers, according to the report.

The study’s authors noted that infection with COVID-19 through the eyes “is extremely rare,” but said droplets of the virus can easily pass from the eyes to the nose or mouth.

The best way to prevent this type of infection is to avoid touching the eyes. Medical workers who treat coronavirus patients should go one step further and wear safety glasses for added protection, according to the study.