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Review
. 2020 Apr 2;28(3):391-395.
doi: 10.1080/09273948.2020.1738501. Epub 2020 Mar 16.

Can the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Affect the Eyes? A Review of Coronaviruses and Ocular Implications in Humans and Animals

Ivan Seah  1 , Rupesh Agrawal  2   3   4
Affiliations
Review

Can the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Affect the Eyes? A Review of Coronaviruses and Ocular Implications in Humans and Animals

Ivan Seah et al. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. .

Abstract

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (CoV) epidemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus - 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged from China. This virus causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since then, there have been anecdotal reports of ocular infection. The ocular implications of human CoV infections have not been widely studied. However, CoVs have been known to cause various ocular infections in animals. Clinical entities such as conjunctivitis, anterior uveitis, retinitis, and optic neuritis have been documented in feline and murine models. In this article, the current evidence suggesting possible human CoV infection of ocular tissue is reviewed. The review article will also highlight animal CoVs and their associated ocular infections. We hope that this article will serve as a start for further research into the ocular implications of human CoV infections.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; coronavirus disease 2019; novel coronavirus; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2.

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Comment in

  • COVID-19 and Eye Problems.
    Mungmunpuntipantip R, Wiwanitkit V. Mungmunpuntipantip R, et al. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2020 Aug 17;28(6):908. doi: 10.1080/09273948.2020.1751858. Epub 2020 May 28. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2020. PMID: 32463341 No abstract available.
  • COVID-19 and the eye.
    Lawrenson JG, Buckley RJ. Lawrenson JG, et al. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2020 Jul;40(4):383-388. doi: 10.1111/opo.12708. Epub 2020 Jul 6. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2020. PMID: 32627913 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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