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Covid Affects More Organs Than Imagined; It Can Penetrate Your Retina

Covid Affects More Organs Than Imagined; It Can Penetrate Your Retina

A new study has found that Covid-19 may manifest in several organs including the eye. It may reach the several layers of the retina of the people who are infected.

Written by Arushi Bidhuri |Published : July 30, 2021 8:26 PM IST

Coronavirus we have heard about it, and we know about it. The whole world is aware and extremely worried about the deadly disease that doesn't seem to stop. Coronaviruses are a group of common viruses that have existed for a long time, but the new mutation SARS-CoV-2 emerged and wreaked havoc in the world. China was the first to report the new Coronavirus (also known as COVID 19). COVID 19 can infect humans and cause minor illnesses like the common cold, as well as more serious illnesses such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and other respiratory illnesses. But a new study has found that it may affect your eyes as well.

Although COVID-19 is mostly a respiratory infection, doctors believe it can also infect the eyes. Scientists now have more clear proof of it. According to a study published in the JAMA Network, particles of SARS-CoV-2 may reach the human retina's multiple layers and may be linked to the infection's ocular clinical symptoms.

How Covid Virus May Infect Your Retina?

They described the case of three patients who died of Covid-19: two men and a woman. All of the patients were in the intensive care unit, on mechanical ventilation, and had serious lung involvement. The ages of those who died varied from 69 to 78 years old. The scientists used real-time reverse polymerase chain reaction and immunological approaches to determine the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the retina. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed S and N Covid-19 proteins in endothelial cells near the capillary flame, as well as cells of the inner and outer nuclear layers, in all three patients.

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Transmission electron microscopy revealed double-membrane vacuoles compatible with the virus in the perinuclear region of these cells, likely holding Covid-19 viral particles. Carlla A. Araujo-Silva, from INBEB in Rio de Janeiro, said "The eye has shown abnormalities associated with Covid-19 infection, and retinal changes were presumed to be associated with secondary microvascular and immunological changes. It is now clear that after the initial infection in the respiratory system, the virus can spread throughout the whole body, reaching different tissues and organs. The study shows that the eye may be involved in Covid-19 infection, and many retinal changes have been reported."

However, the researchers found that it is unclear that these changes are related to the virus's presence in the retina, as well as microvascular and immunological changes, or if they're a result of an infection that has afflicted hundreds of millions of individuals around the world.

What You Should Do To Avoid Eye Infections?

Official authorities have suggested some measures that you can follow to avoid eye infections:

  • If your illness hasn't healed up entirely, don't use eye makeup or contact lenses
  • Keep your hands away from your eyes and the area around them
  • To prevent it from spreading to others, wear protective eyewear
  • Separate your towel soaps and other items
  • Practice safe hygiene and social distancing

(With inputs from agencies)