Rainy season triggers cases of eye infection and conjunctivitis, but a section of medical experts are of the view that red/pink eye (conjunctivitis) could be one of the primary symptoms of COVID-19 infection.
Doctors in Delhi while examining certain corona patients found that those infected had conjunctivitis too, thus making them claim that eye infection might be one of the COVID-19 symptoms. They maintained that initial infection may have taken an ocular route.
Ophthalmologists, though maintain that redness or pink eyes may be one of the COVID-19 symptoms but they opined that this cannot be said with certainty and has not been proved so far.
Coughing, fever and difficulty in breathing are common symptoms of COVID-19 but a section of experts found that pink eye is also a reason to be tested for the disease. Conjunctivitis and kerato-conjunctivitis can also be primary symptoms of COVID-19.
Dr Lalit Shrivastava, ophthalmologist and general secretary of doctors association, here however have ruled out saying that it too premature to endorse this view in absence of any proof as even simple flu and fever can cause redness in eye.
“Pink eye, generally a symptom of conjunctivitis, is being linked to COVID-19 infection. In Delhi, a doctors’ fraternity is of the opinion that pink or redness of eyes may also be one of primary symptoms of coronavirus infection, but it has not been proved so far,” said the ophthalmologist.
Studies suggest that virus can transmit through and affect the body's mucous membrane system, of which the conjunctiva -- the clear, thin membrane that covers the front surface of the eye -- is an extension. The most common cause of chronic follicular conjunctivitis is infection with the organism. Symptoms include redness of the eye and a mucopurulent discharge.
