Eye doctor says people should wear glasses instead of contact lenses because they act as a ‘partial shield’ against COVID-19 – and shares a five-step guide to cleaning them correctly
- Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai advised people to wear glasses not contact lenses
- Explained glasses act as a ‘partial shield’ from airborne coronavirus droplets
- COVID-19 can enter the body through the mucous membrane around the eye
- Shared a guide to cleaning glasses correctly, including with soap and water
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
People should wear glasses instead of contact lenses as they offer greater protection from coronavirus, a doctor has explained.
Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai, an ophthalmic plastic reconstructive surgeon from London, said glasses can act as a ‘partial shield’ between any airborne droplets and the eye, through which COVID-19 can enter the body.
Glasses might also make it less likely for the wearer to touch their eyes, thereby reducing the risk of transmission from hand to eye.
Dr Sabrina said glasses act as a partial shield against the virus but said they need to be bathed daily to keep them clean
However Dr Shah-Desai warned people should take extra care when cleaning their glasses during this time to ensure they remain as hygienic as possible.
She said: ‘When someone coughs or sneezes, glasses act as a partial shield – but equally things will sit on that surface so you have to clean them as you would your hands.
‘The root of infection is through your mouth, nose and eyes. Glasses can act as a shield if you use the same hygiene that you would when washing your hands.’
However, just as it is important to avoid touching your eyes with your hands, it is also important to avoid touching your glasses.
She also urged people to clean their glasses after going outside because the virus can survive on hard surface for hours.
Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai advised people wear their glasses during the coronavirus outbreak
Last week, researchers made the startling discovering that a form of the coronavirus can linger around for more than two weeks.
Earlier studies found that the virus is able to stay viable on plastic and stainless steel for as many as three days, although levels fell dramatically over time.
Contact lenses increase the risk of transmission as they involve contact between the hand and eye, making it more likely that COVID-19 is transmitted.
The mucous membrane around the eye gives the virus a way in to the body, much like the nose and mouth.
Dr Shah-Desai said: ‘The problem with contact lenses comes if people have not washed their hands properly and then put their contacts in or rubbed their eyes because lenses have made them itchy or sore.’
She continued: ‘You definitely should not be wearing lenses if you are displaying symptoms of Covid-19.
‘We tell people not to wear lenses if they have a viral illness because you can increase the load going into your eyes if you aren’t washing your hands.
‘It is all about keeping the viral load down because we are all exposed to the virus in small loads.
‘You might be an asymptomatic carrier because your body can cope with that load – but if you are suddenly exposed to a massive viral load, continuously, that is when the body is not able to cope.’