Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 23, 2025
06:29
Comparing Objective Conjunctival Hyperemia Grading and the Ocular Surface Disease Index Score in Dry Eye Syndrome During COVID-19
Published on: May 25, 2022
2.5K
[COVID-19: is transmission through eye contact possible?]
S N Bulgar1, R F Akhmetshin2, E A Abdulaeva1
1Kazan State Medical Academy - branch of Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Kazan, Russia.
Vestnik Oftalmologii
|August 19, 2021
Summary
Coronavirus can spread through the eyes, with conjunctivitis being a common symptom. While not a primary route, COVID-19 transmission via the eye surface is possible and requires precautions.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
Background:
- Ocular manifestations of COVID-19 are reported, with conjunctivitis being the most frequent.
- The incidence of ocular symptoms in COVID-19 patients ranges from 0.8% to 31.6%.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review scientific literature on the potential transmission of coronavirus, specifically COVID-19, via the ocular surface.
- To analyze the occurrence and detection of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival secretions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of international and Russian scientific papers.
- Analysis of data on virus detection in conjunctival discharge from COVID-19 patients.
- Inclusion of experimental studies on transconjunctival and respiratory exposure in Rhesus macaques.
Main Results:
- Virus detection in conjunctival cavities was observed in 3.17% of analyzed COVID-19 patients (8 out of 252).
- COVID-19-associated conjunctivitis can be an early or primary symptom, sometimes without visible eye inflammation.
- Experimental exposure confirmed the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through the conjunctiva.
Conclusions:
- Transmission of COVID-19 through the eye surface is possible, though not considered a major route.
- The conjunctival cavity of infected individuals can serve as a source of SARS-CoV-2.
- Eye protection measures are recommended when handling potentially infected patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Sexually Transmitted Infections
496
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted primarily through unsafe sexual interactions. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause them and can result in severe health complications if untreated.ChlamydiaThe bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the disease Chlamydia, the most common STI in the United States. This peculiar pathogen requires human cells to reproduce, residing intracellularly. The initial infection often goes unnoticed because it typically does not...
496
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
4.2K
Transmission-based precautions are for patients known to be infected or suspected to be infected or colonized with organisms that pose a significant risk to others. Some transmission-based precautions include contact, enteric, and droplet.
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
4.2K
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
1.6K
Transmission-based precautions are for patients infected or suspected to be infected (or colonized) with organisms posing a significant risk to others. The transmission precautions include airborne and protective environment precautions.
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
1.6K
01:20Infection
9.4K
When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
9.4K
01:29Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
424
Tuberculosis, often called TB, is a contagious illness primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lung parenchyma but can also impact other body parts.
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
424
01:17Accessory Structures of the Eye
2.2K
Optical perception, or vision, is an extraordinary sense dependent on converting light signals received via the ocular organs. These organs, known as eyes, are securely positioned within the bony cavities of the skull, called orbits. The orbits serve a dual purpose: a protective shield for the ocular globes and a stable attachment point for the soft ocular tissues. The eye's external protective mechanisms include the eyelids, which are edged with lashes that act as a barrier against foreign...
2.2K