The importance of maintaining eye health in the light of the COVID19 epidemic lifestyle and factors affecting eye health.
Maintaining eye health is a broader aspect of holistic h hygiene of the eyelids and areas around the eyes as well as protection and moisturizing the eyes . A lifestyle that involves predominantly working behind a computer, under artificial light of various types of lights, and increasing exposure to polluted air requires us to pay more attention to eye health.
If we add to the mentioned daily stressors the wearing of contact lenses, allergies, viral and bacterial infections, which also affect the eyes. long-term use of certain medications and frequent use of makeup around the eyes, is in place to place our invaluable sense of sight in one of the foci of prevention in caring for our health.
EYE EYE HYGIENE
Often prescribed first line treatment of blepharitis (inflammation of the edges of the eyelids), conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva) m treatment of the eyelids in dry eye disease is HYGIENE. Daily thorough and at the same time gentle cleansing of the area around the eyes is essential for patients suffering from any of the common eye diseases of the stakes, as well as for healthy individuals who want to act preventively.
Compliance in the implementation of eyelid hygiene
Today, instead of using baby shampoo diluted with water, wipes that are specially developed for cleaning the area around the eyes are recommended for eyelid hygiene. In a compliance study of 188 patients with a mean age of 69 years. who were subjected to a protocol for the implementation of eyelid hygiene with water and baby shampoo at home for 6 weeks, only 25% followed the prescribed protocol, and 30% used only water instead of the prescribed protocol. The reasons for non-compliance were the impracticality of using baby shampoo, forgetfulness of daily protocol and the feeling that they do not even need hygiene.
The data shed light on the importance of practical use of eyelid hygiene products as well as the importance of counseling and education on the importance and benefits of consistent implementation of the protocol. patients with chronic eye diseases can significantly improve their lives.
PROTECTION AND MOISTURIZATION OF THE EYE SURFACE
In addition to regular hygiene, for prolonged eye discomfort, it is important to include moisturizing and protecting the eye surface in the daily routine of maintaining healthy eyes.
Solutions (artificial tears), gels and ointments are used for these purposes. The pharmaceutical form of the eye moisturizer can be chosen according to the specifics of each product, and it is recommended to choose the type of product that will be most easily included in the daily routine. In dry eye disease, which is characterized by loss of tear film balance. It is recommended that the product also contain lipid components such as vitamin A and vitamin E.
EYE: POTENTIAL TANK FOR COVID-19
Eyelid hygiene and maintaining healthy eyes is gaining in importance in the current period of the COVID-19 episode. Our hygiene habits changed after the outbreak of the epidemic. At the threshold of the second wave of coronavirus disease 19, it should be noted that the transmission of viral diseases via ocular secretions is often forgotten.
What we know about the role of ocular tissue in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus
It is known. to get a new coronavirus called SARSCOV2. causing COVID19. located in different parts of the body. In addition to the respiratory tract, it is also found in the intestines and ocular tissues.
Of course, most research on COVID19 focuses on the respiratory system due to the most common life-threatening droplet transmission, but the presence of coronavirus in other organ systems should not be overlooked. The eyes thus represent an important site of transmission of COVID19 infection. which is certainly not to be underestimated.
Detection of SARSCoV2 in an eye swab in the first confirmed patient with COVID19 in Italy
An observational study conducted by the Iazzaro Spallanzani National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Rome showed the early detection of infectious coronavirus n SARSCoV2 in a conjunctival swab sample in a patient with the first confirmed case of COVID19 in Italy.
The ballet woman, who traveled from Wuhan in China to Italy on January 23, 2020, was admitted to Spallanzani Hospital on January 29, 2020, one day after the onset of symptoms.
At the time of admission, she had the following symptoms:
- unproductive cough,
- sore throat,
- rhinitis in
- conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva) in both eyes.
Fever (38 ° C), nausea and vomiting started on the fourth day. SARSCOV2 infection was confirmed in sputum samples.
On the third day after hospital admission, a conjunctivitis swab was taken for conjunctivitis and viral RNA SARSC0V2 was detected in the sample. The patient’s conjunctivitis greatly improved on day 15. On day 20, however, the smear results indicated that the virus was no longer present in the eyes.
A few days after it appeared that the coronavirus could no longer be detected in the ocular secretions, the session of the year reappeared in a sample taken on day 27, while on that day the virus was no longer detectable in the nasal swab.
Continuous replication of the virus in the conjunctiva was thus confirmed by taking positive conjunctival swab specimens on SARSC0V2 RNA.
The presented findings certainly support the importance of preventive measures for the control of COVID infection19. These include the well-known frequent washing of hands, avoiding contact with eyes, nose and mouth and the use of protective masks. special care with regard to hygiene when using contact lenses.
As the epidemic continues, the understanding of the disease itself deepens. The knowledge gained and the data collected on the disease will help not only in guiding measures to control the infection, but also in the possibilities of using eye tissues or even tears as a medium for further diagnosis.
Nina Zager. mag. farm.
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