Eye Pills - Covid-19 No. 3

The eyes: do they actually constitute a way in for the virus?

Pubblicato il

Thursday, 4 February 2021

Argomento

Eye infections

In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic truly remarkable amounts of data and scientific studies on the new infection have been published, which have made a fundamental contribution to initiating the correct framing of this completely unknown disease and the development of therapies e effective vaccines.

This review aims to authoritatively present the 'state of the art' of literature and clinical practice on the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through the eyes.

Potential of Ocular Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A Review
Barnett BP, Wahlin K, Krawczyk M et al.
Vision (Basel). 2020 Sep 1;4(3):40.

We already know from numerous animal models that transmission of coronaviruses can occur through ocular inoculation.
In the specific case of SARS-CoV-2, there are two routes by which ocular exposure could lead to systemic infection:

- direct infection of ocular tissues (cornea, conjunctiva, lacrimal glands, Meibomian glands) by the virus

- presence in tearsfrom which, via the nasolacrimal duct, the virus can infect the nasal or gastrointestinal epithelium.

The clinical evidence that the conjunctivitis may occur in cohorts of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in a severe form and the detection of theViral RNA in tears support the hypothesis that the eyes constitute a potentially important viral entry route.

It must, however, be borne in mind that the presence of conjunctivitis does not imply the presence of the active virus in the ocular mucous membranes.
Many patients on ventilation in intensive care units may, in fact, develop conjunctivitis as a result of exposure keratopathy or other infectious causes.
Similarly, the viral RNA that can be detected on the ocular surface may come from the air emitted in expiratory acts or be contained in respiratory secretions transferred from the hands to the eyes.

For more information, we suggest you read the full text, available through this link:

Vision | Free Full-Text | Potential of Ocular Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A Review

Good reading