Open AccessReview of SARS-CoV-2 and Conjunctivitis: Ophthalmologists Be Safe
Author(s) -
Mona Sune,
Pradeep Sune,
Vishal Kalode
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of clinical and diagnostic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2249-782X
pISSN - 0973-709X
DOI - 10.7860/jcdr/2020/44972.14116
Subject(s) - medicine , pandemic , context (archaeology) , covid-19 , transmission (telecommunications) , tears , disease , allergic conjunctivitis , virus diseases , intensive care medicine , pediatrics , virus , virology , immunology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , pathology , allergy , geography , archaeology , engineering , electrical engineering
The COVID-19 or the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become pandemic with its origin in Wuhan, city of China. Within few weeks, it became a global health threat involving more than 200 countries. Though the main route of transmission is by respiratory droplets; trans-conjunctival aerosol infection is a known mode of disease transmission. Patients with COVID-19 conjunctivitis have the transmissible virus in the tears. Close contact during ophthalmic procedures poses the risk of patient to ophthalmologist disease transmission. Conjunctivitis may be the first symptom of COVID-19. In context to this and the close proximity of an ophthalmologist and Health Care Workers (HCW) with the patient, and the nature of work, standard infection protection measures guidelines have been given by prominent healthcare societies.