How to Protect Your Eyes During the COVID 19 Outbreak

March 24, 2020

6 Steps to Help Reduce the Risk of allowing COVID 19 enter through the Eyes:

By now we know that there are three ways that the Coronavirus can enter into the body – through the eyes, mouth and nose. In light of the current Covid-19 situation, Dr Arthur Cummings, Medical Director/Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Wellington Eye Clinic, has given some simple tips that people can follow in order to reduce the risk of introducing the virus into their system through the eyes:

Avoid touching your eyes as much as possible. This applies to everyone whether they wear glasses or not. People who do wear glasses need to be extra careful when removing their glasses that they don’t rub their eyes. They should also clean their lenses daily.
People who usually wear contact lenses should consider wearing glasses instead, at least temporarily, as there is less risk of transmission with glasses. Glasses can also act as a barrier against contamination.
Anyone who uses eye drops regularly should consider using a disposable version that only has the daily dose. If you do happen to touch your eye with the dropper then you should rub the tip of the dropper with an alcowipe.
People who wear makeup should wash their hands before and after using the cream and should change their mascara regularly so that there is no virus in the container. They should also wash makeup brushes regularly.
If your eyes tend to itch then use a tissue to rub the corner of your eye.
Finally, everyone should look at the six steps to hand hygiene on the HSE website.

Everyone at The Wellington Eye Clinic would like to wish all of our patients and the general public well at this time. Stay safe.