Actress and singer Hilary Duff caused confusion on social media on Tuesday when she suggested that a recent eye infection she suffered was caused by “all the COVID tests at work”. despite the Younger statement by the actress, experts say the COVID-19 test is an implausible explanation and the general public should not worry about such a side effect.
“It is not clear how a nasal smear can cause an eye infection,” said Dr. Dara Kass, a medical contributor to Yahoo Life. “It is more likely that she succeeded in her community and that they were related by chance.”
Dr. Brian Toy, an ophthalmologist and assistant professor at the Roski Eye Institute at the University of Southern California, agrees. “It seems very unlikely,” Toy told Yahoo Life. “The swabs they use for the COVID tests are sterile and, when administered by a nurse or trained technician, do not cause unnecessary trauma, so it seems unlikely that the nasal swabs cause eye infections.”
Duff, who was quarantined in November after exposure to COVID-19, shared details about her eye infection on Instagram, saying she “made a short trip to the ER” and “needed antibiotics” to treat her. Kass says antibiotics are often administered in the event of conjunctivitis (or pink eye), which is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the transparent tissue that covers the inside of the eye. Common causes of infection include bacteria, allergies or a viral infection.
Although there have been several reports of individuals with COVID-19 experiencing eye infections, Kass says the idea that this results from a COVID-19 test is illogical. “The bacterium that infects your eye in conjunctivitis is not what we are testing at COVID,” says Kass. “And she doesn’t even have COVID. So, what would that be like? ”Kass adds that taking a COVID-19 test is probably one of the safest experiences you can have in 2021.
“We have more protective equipment and less contamination for the COVID-19 test than any other interaction in the world,” says Kass. “It is much more likely that she touched a surface and rubbed her eyes. There are a million reasons why she could have contracted conjunctivitis, it happens all the time – and while she may believe it happened from the COVID test, it would make no sense to me. “
Toy agrees, adding that “ENT surgeons go to the nose and instrument the nose all the time for things like sinus surgery [and] there is no greater risk of eye infections because of this. ”He confirms that conjunctivitis may be a symptom of COVID-19, but clarifies that it does not affect the tests. “Usually, I don’t think they’re related,” he says. “The patient may have conjunctivitis and a positive test for COVID, but a nasal smear is unlikely to precipitate conjunctivitis.”
A representative for Duff, who is pregnant with her third child, did not return Yahoo Life’s request for comment.
To latest coronavirus news and updates, follow on https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and immunocompromised continue to be at greater risk. If you have questions, consult the CDC’s and Who is it resource guides.
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