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. 2020 Aug;68(8):1546-1550.
doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1319_20.

Clinical profile and prevalence of conjunctivitis in mild COVID-19 patients in a tertiary care COVID-19 hospital: A retrospective cross-sectional study

K Sindhuja  1 , Neiwete Lomi  1 , Mohamed I Asif  1 , Radhika Tandon  1
Affiliations

Clinical profile and prevalence of conjunctivitis in mild COVID-19 patients in a tertiary care COVID-19 hospital: A retrospective cross-sectional study

K Sindhuja et al. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020 Aug.

Abstract

Purpose: To find the clinical profile and prevalence of conjunctivitis and other ocular manifestations in mild COVID-19 positive patients in a nodal COVID-19 hospital.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional, single-center study conducted in 127 mild cases of COVID-19 positive patients admitted between 27th March and 19th April 2020 in a tertiary care COVID-19 hospital in north India. From the hospital records, demographic data is collected. Ocular history and ocular examinations were done by face-to-face survey during ward rounds.

Results: A total of 127 patients were included in the study with a median age of 38.8 years. Forty-eight (37.80%) patients had upper respiratory tract symptoms, 20 (15.75%) patients had systemic illness, 18 (14.17%) patients were using spectacles, and 50 (39.37%) patients had history of hand-eye contact. Out of 12 (9.45%) patients who had ocular complaints, 11 (8.66%) had ocular manifestation after admission. Among 11 patients, eight (6.29%) had conjunctival congestion. Three (3/8) patients had developed conjunctival congestion even before the manifestation of definite COVID-19 symptoms. Five patients (5/8) patients had no other associated ocular symptoms other than congestion. Six patients (6/8) had symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection.

Conclusion: Mild conjunctivitis manifesting as conjunctival congestion is common and is one of the major ocular manifestations in COVID-19 positive patients even with milder disease.

Keywords: COVID-19; Conjunctival congestion; prevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

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