Do Viruses Affect Our Eyes? How are they both related to each other?
Corona Virus has changed our lives completely. Normal routine has changed in all of our lives and it has created what we call a “new normal” life.
First of all, most of the people have started working from home and everyone including the young kids are spending more time in front of TV, Computer or other digital devices. Work and school are happening online.
We can still take care of our eyes by eating healthy foods and including omega 3, antioxidants and vitamin A & E in our diet.
Like our body we need to give rest to our eyes as well. And we can use the rule of 20-20-20 to give rest to our eyes. While working on computer or on any digital screen, look away every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet away for minimum 20 seconds. By doing this your eye muscle will get some relaxation.
You can also wear blue blocking glasses to prevent your eyes from digital strain. Blue blocking glasses are occasionally tinted very light shade of yellow. Yellow shade neutralizes blue light and limits the potential harm to your eyes. It also helps control and improve sleep cycles. As the brain often get confused with screen light to sunlight.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed officially that the transmission of corona virus is possible through our eyes. Even though transmission through eyes is not common, we need to make sure that we keep our hands away from our face and eyes. Wearing any protective eyewear or eyeglass may help prevent the virus to enter our eyes.
Doctors have found that corona virus can cause conjunctivitis or pink eye. Symptoms of conjunctivitis include red, injected eye, discharge and a sandy, gritty feeling in the eye.
You can prevent your eyes and reduce the chances of getting conjunctivitis by –
- Keep washing your hands. Always wash your hands before touching your eyes or before removing contact lenses.
- Don’t touch your eyes. It’s always important to maintain good hygiene practices.
- Avoid sharing your personal items like face makeup or brushes, bath or hand towels.
- Switch to eyeglasses. If you wear contact lenses, switch to eyeglasses at least until this pandemic is over.
Taking Care of Eyeglasses
Coronavirus can easily be transferred from our surroundings to our hands and from our hands to our glasses. One of the studies says that coronavirus can stay on glass as long as nine days. That’s why we need to keep cleaning our eyeglasses periodically.
We can use dish soap and water to disinfect and clean the frame and lenses and dry using a microfiber cloth (Do not use paper towels, as the fibers can scratch the lenses). Clean the nose pieces and ear pieces as well.
We can also use lens wipes instead of soap and water to clean our eyeglasses if we are away from home. NEVER use rubbing alcohol to clean your glasses, as it may be too harsh and the coatings on your eyeglass lenses may craze.
Eyeglasses can help prevent the virus as it helps avoid touching your eyes, but it is important to keep your frames and lenses clean and disinfect on a regular basis.
We have an experienced Optician at Nexgen Opticals who can help you guide through the cleaning process and also help you choose the eyewear that fits right just for you.
