Can Covid-19 weaken our eyesight?

Recently, Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared that coronavirus has led to the weakening of his eyesight. Up until recently, he was seen wearing reading glasses claiming eyesight weakening as a “possible symptoms” of covid-19.

How much of it is true? Do you need to worry about it?

According to the experts at the Royal College of Ophthalmologist and Moorfields Eye Hospital, there’s very little evidence between covid-19 and eyesight problems.

However, at the University of Oxford, an ophthalmology professor has claimed that the virus can impact the eyes in several ways.

Just like all other upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds and flu, the virus can result in irritation of the membrane that shields the eyes. A common condition called conjunctivitis or pink eyes can occur.

The World Health Organization has finally included conjunctivitis alongside other common symptoms of Covid-19, such as cough, loss of taste or smell and fever. Pink eye isn’t yet a prevalent sign of the virus in the other parts of the world, hence the UK guidelines haven’t accepted it.

Eye problems in the pandemic

The possibility of developing viral conjunctivitis is still more limited than the other most common symptoms of the virus.

Conjunctivitis can make your eyes watery and gritty, making you uncomfortable rather than causing pain. There’s no possibility of eyesight weakening due to conjunctivitis.

You must be extra careful with your eyes. In case the front of the pupil and the iris gets affected, you can develop a blurry vision.

From the recent study in Wuhan, China where it’s believed the coronavirus outbreak began, reported different eye problems such as swelling and sticky eyes.

The study was led by Professor Robert MacLaren, an eye expert from the University of Oxford who claimed to take precaution if experienced any of the above symptoms.

“Any of the above symptoms may affect vision and affected patients would be advised to drive with caution or not at all if there was a significant blurring of vision or double vision”, he said.

Although these cases are very rare so more evidence is required to showcase the link between eyesight and coronavirus.

The RNIB says to report any sudden changes experienced in our body and seek immediate medication advice from your physician or call the NHS.

Moreover, the health concern came under light after the Prime Minister’s senior advisor Dominic Cummings drove from Durham to Barnard Castle, with his wife and child to get his eye tested.

To which the prime minister gave in his support by suggesting that he had to suffer problems with his vision after catching coronavirus.

Later that day, he also said that he has to wear reading glasses for the first time in years because of the covid-19 effect.

“So I’m inclined to think that’s very, very plausible, that eyesight can be a problem associated with coronavirus.”

According to the NHS and other health officials, there’s not enough information to prove a link between Covid-19 and eyesight.

Sight loss is often gradual, it doesn’t happen overnight. The onset of any refractive error doesn’t go unnoticed, so you’ll experience quite a few symptoms of eyesight weakening or change.