COVID-19: risk of ocular transmission in health care professionals

Matos, Alexis Galeno; Sarquis, Ingrid Cavalcante; Santos, Alana Andrade Neiva; Cabral, Leonardo Pereira

INTRODUCTION: The current pandemic of severe acute respiratory symptom coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a major impact on individuals’ lives. Social isolation and the use of personal protective equipment - the latter being especially important for health care workers - emerged as two of the main methods of preventing the spread of the disease. The eye can represent a source of transmission through contaminated tears, as well as a source of infection for respiratory droplets or aerosol particles, which may come into contact with the ocular surface and migrate to the lungs and other parts of the body. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk of ocular transmission through a literature review and identify ways of preventing it. METHODS: A search of the scientific literature was conducted in the PubMed and Cochrane databases, using a combination of the following keywords: “COVID-19,” “eye,” “personal protective equipment,” “SARS-CoV-2,” “protective goggles,” “face shields,” and “workers’ health.” RESULTS: The mechanisms of ocular transmission have not been fully elucidated, but studies have demonstrated the presence of viral RNA in the conjunctival sac and aerosolized secretions of contaminated patients; these droplets may come into contact with the eyes of uninfected bystanders, entering the respiratory system through the nose and gaining access to the lungs. CONCLUSIONS: Studies show that the virus can be effectively transmitted through the eyes, underscoring the importance of protective goggles for health care workers or potential transmitters of the virus, in addition to the need for additional education measures to encourage hand hygiene and discourage touching of the eyes.