BENGALURU: Don’t touch your eyes. For, the coronavirus can spread through eyes too. While facial masks and sanitisers are mandatory as a preventive measure, ophthalmologists in the city point out the need for wearing glasses to reduce the risk of the virus entering into the eyes. Dr Bhujang Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Nethralaya, told The New Sunday Express,
“According to studies, people touch their face about 20 times in an hour, knowingly or unknowingly. When a person touches an affected surface and then touches the eyes or the face, the virus can enter the body. With spectacles, one can prevent virus droplets from coming in contact with eyes. It is advisable to wear glasses when you step out of the house, and those who wear contact lenses should switch to glasses immediately.”
Dr Raghu Nagaraju, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Apollo Hospital, said, “There are ACE receptors on the surface of the eye which act as entry points for the virus. ACE receptors are present in the nose, throat and eyes. The virus will get stuck to the receptor and once it enters the body, it starts multiplying."
It is important for health workers, police personnel, essential service providers and other frontline workers to wear glasses as they are more vulnerable.
If people are out in crowded places, it is advisable that they wear protective glasses. But one should not forget hand hygiene and people should avoid touching their faces.”
Dr Anand Balasubramaniam, Senior Consultant (Cornea), Sankara Eye Hospital, said that they have shut their contact lens services completely as a preventive measure.
“Those who wear contact lenses keep rubbing their eyes, which can allow the virus to get into the eye. We still don’t know how the virus behaves in the eye, but it is advisable for one to wear glasses.”