As the number of coronavirus deaths reaches new highs in the United States, it appears that every possible COVID protection measure is worth considering. But if you’re already wearing masks and social detachment, what else can you do? It turns out that you may not be wearing an accessory that can be easily obtained in winter: snow glasses. According to experts, snow goggles do have some ability to protect you from COVID. Read on to find out how this accessory can help and to get more protection against coronavirus in the winter, if you don’t have it in your home, you are at an increased risk of COVID.
“Snow goggles can theoretically protect you because coronavirus can enter mucous membranes in your eyes,” he explains Abisola Olulade, MD, a certified family medicine doctor. “If someone coughs or sneezes and comes into contact with your eyes, it can lead to COVID. If someone touches a surface with coronavirus and then touches their eyes, it can cause infection of the eye membranes.”
According to Olulade, the coronavirus was found in tears and other conjunctival secretions, which means that the virus can be transported to the tear ducts and then to the nasopharynx and lungs. The most recent study describing the likelihood of transmission of COVID through the eyes is an August meta-analysis published in British Journal of Ophthalmology.
In their review, the researchers pointed directly to a study that found that the main risk factor among a group of infected medical staff members was the lack of goggles. According to the study, only 1 percent of people who wore goggles were infected with COVID, compared with 8 percent of people who did not wear goggles.
“While it appears that the likelihood of the ocular surface being a gateway to infection is low, infection or transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the ocular surface can cause conjunctivitis and other eye discomfort. Therefore, good eye protection is a procedure essential safeguard, “the August review stated.
Seamus Flynn, optometrist and owner of the glasses brand Sapphire Eyewear, says that eye protection is important because COVID particles are transmitted in aerosol droplets, reaching the eye. But even the largest drop can be stopped only by a pair of normal glasses.
At the same time, Flynn says that goggles can be the best form of protection, as they cling to the face. This helps to block the smallest aerosol particles, which can pass through even the smallest gaps. Having glasses with a tight fit that “preferably creates a seal” can help protect you at any time, he says.
And it is not so uncommon for people to wear snow goggles as a way to slow down viral spread. In fact, this was what some doctors did in March, when personal protective equipment (PPE) was missing. Olulade says that although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the use of glasses for health professionals, there is still no specific recommendation for the general population. However, she says that snow goggles can certainly be used as an additional layer of protection, “if cleaned and used properly”.
“They can offer an additional layer of protection, but goggles should never be used in place or as a substitute for masks because the masks protect against the main form of spread of the coronavirus,” warns Olulade. “In theory, they can offer more protection, but they cannot be considered as an independent protection agent.”
Regardless of whether you are infected with coronavirus through ocular transmission, your eyes can offer signs that you are infected. A study published in BMJ Open Ophthalmology newspaper on November 30 found that 81 percent of patients with COVID reported eye symptoms within two weeks of other symptoms of coronavirus. To find out which eye problems might be signs of coronavirus, read on and, to learn more about the symptoms, see how to know if your headache is COVID, the study says.
1
Sore eyes
Patients experiencing this before COVID: 5 percent
Patients feeling this during COVID: 16 percent
And for more subtle symptoms of coronavirus, these 4 easy-to-lose symptoms may mean you have COVID, experts say.
two
Itchy eyes
Patients experiencing this before COVID: 14 percent
Patients feeling this during COVID: 17 percent
3
Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
Patients experiencing this before COVID: 13 percent
Patients feeling this during COVID: 18 percent
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4
Teary eyed
Patients experiencing this before COVID: 7 percent
Patients feeling this during COVID: 12 percent
5
Mucous discharge
Patients experiencing this before COVID: 2 percent
Patients feeling this during COVID: 4 percent
And for more unusual symptoms of coronavirus, here’s how to tell if your back pain is COVID, doctors say.
6
Courageous eyes
Patients experiencing this before COVID: 4 percent
Patients feeling this during COVID: 5 percent
7
Foreign body sensation
Patients experiencing this before COVID: 2 percent
Patients feeling this during COVID: 5 percent
And if you’re traveling this winter, find out the 4 things you shouldn’t do in a hotel during COVID, the doctor warns.