EYE SORE
The seven ‘unusual’ Omicron symptoms affecting your EYES you must not ignore
THE first sign you have Omicron could be in your eyes, doctors have revealed.
Covid has been shown to cause a vast number of symptoms in those infected, from a cough to diarrhoea and burping.
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Sometimes, it can cause various problems with the eyes - and it may be more common with the Omicron strain that is now dominant in the UK.
The World Health Organization lists “irritated eyes” as a less common symptom of the virus.
Irritation to the eyes could include one, or a combination, or the following symptoms:
- Conjunctivitis (“pink eye”) - inflammation on the thin clear tissue over the white of the eye and in the lining of the eyelid
- Red eyes
- Itchy eyes
- Sore eyes
- Light sensitivity
- Blurred vision
- Discharge
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Conjunctivitis is thought to affect around five per cent of Covid patients, according to published in June 2020.
While the researchers in India said this is rare, they added it may be the first symptom of the virus and worth flagging as an early warning sign.
Other studies have put the prevalence of eye symptoms much higher.
claimed 44 per cent of Covid patients had problems with their eyes, compared with 35.8 per cent of healthy people. Discharge and sensitivity to light were most common.
An early study, published in the , found that of 83 Covid patients, 17 per cent had itchy eyes while 16 per cent had sore eyes.
It should clear up as you recover.
However, according to a King’s College study of long Covid, around 15 per cent of people reported conjunctivitis months after infection, while the same figure had bloodshot eyes.
Sign of Omicron
GP Dr Nisa Aslam from said: “Cell receptors by which Covid variants enter the body are present in the eye.
“The virus penetrates the body by tricking the receptors for the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE-2) into thinking the virus is the ACE-2 enzyme.
“These receptors are found in different parts of the eye - cells which line the retina, eye white and eyelid.”
If Omicron has a greater ability to bind to ACE-2 receptors than other variants, as some research suggests, eye symptoms may be more frequently reported, Dr Aslam said.
She said: "A preliminary (as yet not peer reviewed) paper shows that the Omicron variant has a greater capacity for binding to ACE-2 receptors compared with the Beta and Delta variants.
"This would suggest that conjunctivitis could be a symptom of the Omicron variant.
"In addition, case studies have found that conjunctivitis (red eye) is present in people who test positive for coronavirus, even if they are otherwise
asymptomatic."
It's important not to ignore symptoms of the coronavirus - which can include fatigue, headache, runny nose, cough, sore throat, loss of smell or taste and a fever.
But if you have only eye problems, there may be another underlying cause other than Covid.
For example, conjunctivitis may be triggered by other viruses, bacteria, allergies and chemicals.
Some bacteria that cause conjunctivitis are contagious, so it’s possible it was caught from somebody else.
How to treat eye symptoms
In some people with the virus, eye symptoms may not be bothersome.
But others may need relief with some over-the-counter medicine.
Conjunctivitis can be treated at home in the first instance.
The NHS says to clean off crusts on the eyes by boiling water, letting it cool down, and then gently wiping the eyes with the water on a clean cotton wool pad.
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You can also hold a cold flannel on your eyes for a few minutes to cool them down.
You can also get treatment from a pharmacist - although you might have to do this online if you are in self-isolation, or get someone to do it for you.
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