Pink Eye Identified as a Primary Symptom of COVID-19

Global Impact of COVID-19

Recent findings by Canadian scientists have identified pink eye, or conjunctivitis, as a notable symptom of COVID-19. To date, there have been over 8.5 million reported cases of COVID-19 worldwide, resulting in more than 465,000 deaths. Since the initial reports in January 2020, the World Health Organization has compared the virus to other respiratory illnesses, including SARS and MERS. Common symptoms initially included fever, cough, fatigue, headache, and diarrhea.

Conjunctival Congestion as a Symptom

One symptom that has not received widespread attention is conjunctival congestion, which has been observed in approximately 0.8% of patients. A notable case involved a Chinese expert who was part of the early investigations in Wuhan. Despite wearing an N95 mask, he contracted the virus, likely due to not using protective eyewear, and developed red eye before displaying any respiratory symptoms.

Case Study from the University of Alberta

Researchers from the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry conducted a case study published in the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. The study focused on a young woman who returned to Canada from a month-long vacation in the Philippines in February.

Upon her return, she traveled through San Francisco and soon began experiencing symptoms, such as congestion and a runny nose, along with pink eye in her right eye, but without a fever. She consulted her family physician the very next day and was referred to an ophthalmologist.

During her visit to the ophthalmologist, her pink eye symptoms had intensified. After testing negative for strep throat, she was prescribed medication for her condition. Over the following week, she visited the ophthalmologist two additional times, with her symptoms worsening each time, yet she remained fever-free. Tests for other conditions that can cause pink eye yielded negative results.

On her last visit, updated health authority guidelines recommended testing for COVID-19 for patients with recent travel history. Subsequently, she was tested and confirmed positive for COVID-19.

Implications for Healthcare Providers

This case study underscores the potential risks faced by healthcare providers, not only through established transmission routes—such as airborne particles and person-to-person contact—but also through the eyes. The authors of the study emphasize the importance of wearing appropriate eye protection, in addition to standard personal protective equipment, when treating patients. They also recommend strict adherence to disinfection protocols for any patient exhibiting symptoms of pink eye.

Reference

1. Cheema M, Aghazadeh H, Nazarali S et al. Keratoconjunctivitis as the initial medical presentation of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. 2020. doi:10.1016/j.jcjo.2020.03.003

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay.