One of the most curious aspects of COVID-19 compared to other diseases, it is the myriad of ways in which it can attack the body and the mind. Symptoms range from neurological to physical, and although some of the damage they cause may be temporary, others suffer permanent damage to health as a result of an infection. Every day, researchers identify new manifestations of the virus, as they continue to study those that are infected. This week, a new study has identified yet another way in which COVID can devastate the body. Keep reading to find out what it is – and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss out on these Clear signs that you’ve had the coronavirus.
COVID can cause “significant abnormalities” in the eyes
A new study published in the journal Radiology found that COVID-19 can cause eye damage in critically ill patients. Researchers at the French Society of Neuroradiology (SFNR) used MRI scans of the brain to identify “significant abnormalities” in the eyes.
“We showed that some patients with severe COVID-19 from the French cohort COVID-19 had one or more nodules from the posterior pole of the globe,” the study’s lead author, Augustin Lecler, MD, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Paris and neuroradiologist of the Neuroradiology Department of the Hospital Adolphe de Rothschild Foundation in Paris, explained in a Press release. “This is the first time that these findings have been described using magnetic resonance imaging.”
Of the 129 patients in the cohort, nine (7%) had abnormal findings in the MRI of the eyeball, with MRI scans showing one or more nodules in the posterior part, or posterior pole, of the eyeball. All but one had fought a serious COVID-19 infection, spending time in the ICU. All nine patients had nodules in the macular region (the posterior area of the eye responsible for our central vision), while eight had nodules in both eyes.
Because this type of damage could easily go unnoticed, researchers insist on the importance of eye tracking in the form of high-resolution MRI scans. “Our study advocates screening all patients hospitalized in the ICU for severe COVID-19,” said Dr. Lecler. “We believe that these patients should receive specific eye protection treatments.”
Researchers are not sure why the eyes are damaged by the virus. However, they believe it may be related to the inflammation triggered by the virus.
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How to stay protected from COVID
The best way to prevent any COVID-related health complications is to avoid infection in the first place. So follow Dr. Anthony Fauci’s fundamentals and help stop this wave, no matter where you live – use a face mask, social distance, avoid large crowds, do not go home with people you are not sheltering (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, be vaccinated when it is available to you and to protect your life and the lives of others, no visit none of these 35 places you’re most likely to reach COVID.