American Academy of Ophthalmology: "Conjunctivitis with Eye Redness May Be an Early Symptom of 'COVID-19'"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] There is an opinion that conjunctivitis symptoms, characterized by red, bloodshot eyes, may be an early symptom of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) informed its members of this and recommended wearing protective equipment covering the entire face, including the eyes, ears, and mouth, when treating patients. They especially urged extra caution if conjunctivitis symptoms are accompanied by fever and respiratory abnormalities.

The academy explained that conjunctivitis could be a sign of COVID-19 infection by citing two studies from China.

One study conducted on COVID-19 patients in China found that 1 out of every 30 patients showed conjunctivitis symptoms. Another study reported that among 1,099 laboratory-confirmed patients, 9 (0.8%) exhibited conjunctivitis symptoms.

Typically, fever, dry cough, and difficulty breathing are considered typical COVID-19 symptoms, but some infected individuals show no symptoms at all despite being infected.

Earlier, British otolaryngologists confirmed "good evidence" that a decrease or complete loss of the sense of smell could be a sign of COVID-19 infection when observing patients from Korea, China, and Italy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.