You can get Coronavirus through Eyes! Says Dubai Eye Doctor

We sat with Dr Mamta Mittal, a respected eye specialist doctor at Mediclinic Welcare Hospital in Dubai, to ask common eye health questions relevant during COVID-19.

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Dr. Mamta Mittal

Specialist Opthalmology
Mediclinic Welcare Hospital

Can you contract COVID-19 though eyes?

All mucous are susceptible to COVID, so the eye is not spared. So it is better to take precautions unless it is proved otherwise.  

COVID can also infect eyes by the aerosol, so if somebody sneezes or coughs around you, and if he is COVID positive, so better not to take chances and keep yourself safe. 

Is Pink Eye a symptom of COVID-19?

Pink eye is a symptom of COVID-19, If you are a COVID-19 positive patient and you encounter pink eye.

In the last 2-3 months, one doctor has encountered pink eye as a primary symptom and he eventually turned out to be COVID-19 positive. So, we don’t say that pink eye is a COVID-19 symptom. Any pink eye can be caused by viral infections like flu, but if you are having respiratory distress or fever or other symptoms in this period, we will not rule out COVID-19. We will have to test you for COVID-19. We will consider pink eye to be part of COVID-19 unless proved otherwise.

Are glasses better protection during COVID-19?

When you wear contact lenses your mucous is exposed to the atmosphere. Glasses give you at least a little barrier to the aerosol. So, they give you little protection even though from the sides COVID-19 can enter, but still it is better than contact lenses during this period. Therefore, we encourage our patients to avoid contact lenses during this time and keep themselves safe by wearing glasses.

Can you share some tips on how to protect eyes during COVID-19?

Main thing is keep social distancing, avoid hand-eye, hand-mouth touch as has been always publicized in the media, and you have to take due precautions because any mucous can be affected by COVID-19. COVID-19 will not see whether it is eye, mouth, nose, it can go anywhere wherever it will find suitable to enter. So, protect yourself, keep social distancing, use barriers: glasses, masks, and wash your hands regularly. Avoid hospital visits during this time. Keep yourself away from COVID-19 positive patients. So, these are all the measures by which you can protect yourself from COVID-19 infections.

What is the latest with eye consultation during COVID-19?

We are not encouraging at the moment to do the routine check-ups but we always tell our patients to report to us if there is any emergency. For example, if there is any pain, severe redness in the eye, any injury, or glaucoma attack, if they are pre-existing glaucoma patients, then they are supposed to report to us and we are giving them appointments. We are not doing routine clinics. We go there to attend the clinic only for those patients. For the routine patients, teleconsultations are available. We are prescribing the medicines online, giving them the eRx number so that patients can buy the medicines from anywhere in Dubai close to their house. Especially if you are less than 10 years and above 60 years old, an absolute no, unless there is a severe emergency.

*Disclaimer: Please consider the information in this video/article most recent as per date and medical recommendations towards COVID-19 may change as the situation evolves.