Researchers using animal models have confirmed that COVID-19 can affect the eyes, causing retinal inflammation that leads to blurred vision and poor depth perception.
The study, co-led by Griffith University’s Menzies Institute of Health and South Korea’s Convergent Research Center for Emerging Virus Infection, sought to understand how the disease affects the eyes.
Researchers have confirmed when and how COVID-19 affects the eyes, in another piece of the puzzle of how the disease moves through the body. Credit: Stock image
Griffith University professor Suresh Mahalingam said they found that in animal models, COVID-19 could enter the eyes through a respiratory infection, as well as directly through droplets.
The research leader said the study confirmed anecdotal reports of people with eye problems from COVID-19 infections, as well as post-mortem results showing viral particles in the eyes and optic nerves.
“If there’s an infection, there’s going to be inflammation and the inflammation we’re seeing [associated with COVID-19] it’s in the retinal region,” he said.
“There’s a build-up of fluid because the cells are coming in to fight the infection and that’s causing a thickening of the retina that can affect vision.”
“This is showing another effect of SARS-CoV-2 that we didn’t know about,” said Suresh Mahalingam. Credit: Griffith University
Mahalingam emphasized that in his animal models and in anecdotal reports from human patients, vision problems cleared up when the infection cleared, with no lingering sequelae.
In humans, the problem also appeared to be a rare effect of COVID-19, much less common than other effects on non-respiratory organs such as the heart or the olfactory nerve that lead to loss of smell.