COVID-19 Manifestations in Anterior Segment of Eye
Author(s): Sai Pendke and Guddi Laishram*
Abstract
The pandemic resulting from Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected a large proportion of the population throughout the world affecting people of all sorts. The contamination differs from asymptomatic, slight, or extremely life-threatening respiratory conditions. It can cause an impact on almost all organs involving various systems of the body. Ophthalmologists from around the world have reported instances of all sorts of contamination involving the eye. Conjunctivitis has proven to be the frequent manifestation to be present at a given stage throughout the infection. Direct damage as a result of the virus, immunologically mediated damage to the host tissue, activation of the coagulation pathway occurs through the tissue damage and the associated comorbidities including its medications are accountable for the pathogenesis of several manifestations mentioned subsequently. The viral genetic material is de?ed from the tissues obtained from the ocular site but the involvement of orbit or eye to be a factor for viral replication is still not certain. Ophthalmic manifestations could present as the characteristic presentation of infection or the incidence might increase several days after recovery. Ophthalmologists have to be vigilant keeping in mind the possibility of illnesses involving the eyes and orbit with SARSCoV-2 so as to obtain applicable history, search for adequate signs, give suitable assessments and thereby put an end to the contamination as well as establish a proper treatment protocol to counter the dangerous ill desired complications of the
infection.
It is absolutely important that the ophthalmologists take note and obtain an integrated knowledge on the aspect of ophthalmic conditions involved in the deadly infection in order to minimize the threat it possesses to the patients and the lifelong disability that may persist through its spread. The article mentions the necessary ophthalmic associations linked to the virus.