Researchers with a clear message
Did you have Corona? Why you should get your eyes checked now
Have you ever had Corona? Then, according to US researchers, you should get checked out by an ophthalmologist.
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How often have you been infected with the coronavirus in the past?
In fact, this question is almost irrelevant, because even those who have only tested positive once should pay close attention to their eyes. The reason: A new study suggests that Covid-19 can cause long-term damage to the optic nerve. What exactly did the researchers find out? We clarify.
Consequence of Covid-19: Optic nerve damage after a single corona infection?
What does a corona infection have to do with eyesight?
Pawan Kumar Singh, assistant professor of ophthalmology, led a study that concluded: All people who have ever had a corona infection should get checked by an ophthalmologist.
This also applies to all those who showed no Covid19 symptoms. No matter how long ago the infection occurred, according to the doctor, it could have caused consequential damage to the eye.
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Study: Mouse test shows coronaviruses can be detected on the animals’ retinas
What exactly did researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine find?
When testing coronaviruses on mice, the animals inhaled coronaviruses through their noses and mouths. Just a few hours later, the scientists observed that the viruses were also detectable on the mice’s retinas.
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Sars-CoV-2 apparently manages to break through the sensitive barrier in the retina
The coronaviruses had apparently managed to break through the protective blood-retinal barrier!
This barrier in the retina is actually designed to protect the eye from infection. The barrier normally prevents pathogens from reaching the retina at all.
If it is breached, this can result in inflammatory reactions in the eye, which in the worst case can lead to complete loss of vision.
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Researchers with a clear message: “Recommend going to the ophthalmologist”
Until now, scientists had assumed that a corona infection could lead to eye damage, especially if the virus came into direct contact with the surface of the eyes due to a particularly high viral load in the air.
What is interesting about the new results is that coronaviruses can apparently also get into the eyes in other ways.
Namely when the viruses have previously entered the body through the mouth or nose. Against this background, the research leader appeals to everyone who has been infected with the coronavirus at least once to “look for signs of pathological changes in the retina,” concluded study leader Singh. (yeah)