TY - JOUR
T1 - Precaution and prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 infection in the eye
AU - Chen, Meng Jou
AU - Chang, Kao Jung
AU - Hsu, Chih Chien
AU - Lin, Pei Yu
AU - Liu, Catherine Jui Ling
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2020, the Chinese Medical Association.
PY - 2020/7
Y1 - 2020/7
N2 - Although current studies suggested that conjunctivitis is not a common presentation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), several studies have reported the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in ocular secretions. Coronavirus had not yet been successfully cultured from tears or conjunctival swabs in humans, neither SARS-CoV-2 nor SARS-CoV. However, live feline coronavirus has been isolated from conjunctival swabs. In addition, infection of COVID-19 through unprotected eye exposure had been suspected in several articles. Reports of ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists died of COVID-19 also raised concern on ocular transmission. As a result, we strongly suggest that personal protective equipment (PPE) should cover the mouth, nose, and eyes of ophthalmologists, especially when conjunctivitis caused by SARS-CoV-2 is clinically indistinguishable from other viral follicular conjunctivitis.
AB - Although current studies suggested that conjunctivitis is not a common presentation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), several studies have reported the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in ocular secretions. Coronavirus had not yet been successfully cultured from tears or conjunctival swabs in humans, neither SARS-CoV-2 nor SARS-CoV. However, live feline coronavirus has been isolated from conjunctival swabs. In addition, infection of COVID-19 through unprotected eye exposure had been suspected in several articles. Reports of ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists died of COVID-19 also raised concern on ocular transmission. As a result, we strongly suggest that personal protective equipment (PPE) should cover the mouth, nose, and eyes of ophthalmologists, especially when conjunctivitis caused by SARS-CoV-2 is clinically indistinguishable from other viral follicular conjunctivitis.
KW - Coronavirus disease 2019
KW - Ophthalmologists
KW - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85084616919&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000334
DO - 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000334
M3 - Review article
C2 - 32332516
AN - SCOPUS:85084616919
SN - 1726-4901
VL - 83
SP - 648
EP - 650
JO - Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
JF - Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
IS - 7
ER -