ABSTRACT

Corona virus disease (COVID-19) has spread rapidly causing a threat worldwide. The term COVID-19 which stands for corona virus disease 2019 was proposed by the World Health Organization. The virus was officially named a severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Not much is known about the role of the eye in transmitting COVID-19. The conjunctiva is directly exposed to pathogens in the environment and the mucosa of ocular surface and upper respiratory tract are connected by nasolacrimal duct. Some respiratory viruses have the same entry receptors. Pathogens exposed to the ocular surface might be transported to nasal and nasopharyngeal mucosa via tears through nasolacrimal duct and then cause infection of respiratory tract. Studies suggest that the eye is not frequently involved in human Corona Virus infection. Conjunctivitis is quite rare in patients with SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infection. NL63 (alpha corona virus) is known to cause ocular manifestations in humans. The virus can be present in the conjunctiva and in the tear but the information available today have some limitations, like insufficient sample size as the tear and conjunctival secretions are very limited hence the sample concentration might be inadequate for RT-PCR detection. This article throws light on evidence for corona virus infection of ocular tissue in humans as well as the information known and unknown even though further research has to be carried out.
Publication date: 15/02/2022

https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2022/February/MS_IJBPAS_2022_FEB_SPCL_1030.pdf

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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2022/11.2.1030