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The Covid-19 Vaccine And Vision

July 5, 2021

Introduction

The new coronavirus is causing havoc all over the world. This new corona virus, known as COVID-19, causes respiratory illness. The most common signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, coughing and breathing difficulties.

The virus can spread through infected droplets present in the surroundings. The droplets discharge from the nose or saliva of the infected person. The infected particles can enter through the nose, mouth as well as eyes. The virus can also cause conjunctivitis which is a rare condition. Avoiding touching the face, mouth, nose & eyes can prevent the virus spread to the human body.

Effect Of Covid-19 On Eyes

COVID-19 can  cause conjunctivitis in rare cases . Conjunctivitis is also known as pink eye. Many doctors encounter that 1-3% of people with COVID-19 will get conjunctivitis. The virus infects the front layer  of the eye that covers the white portion of the eye.

The patients with conjunctivitis may experience symptoms such as redness, swelling and itchiness in the eyes. Photopia, sensitivity to light is also reported in some patients. It does not mean that person having conjunctivitis necessarily has COVID-19. Over-the-counter medicines are beneficial in the treatment of many forms of conjunctivitis. The treatment takes 1-2 weeks to reduce the effect of conjunctivitis.

You should consult your doctor immediately if you have symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath. It will become a matter of concern if you have macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, regular eye infection, loss of vision, painful or red eyes, headache, nausea and vomiting along with common symptoms of COVID-19. Your doctor may suggest you some preventive measures.

Side Effects Of Covid-19 Vaccine

The vaccine allows the body to raise immunity. It activates T and B lymphocyte cells which recognize the target virus to produce antibodies in the body. In the process of building immunity, it becomes normal to experience mild side effects.

The side effects are often mild and last for only a few days. According to the CDC and WHO, the common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine include fever, fatigue, headache, chills, body aches, nausea.

It might include swelling, pain, redness, an itchy rash and mild irritation around the injection site. The site of injection is usually the upper arm.

Does Covid-19 Vaccine Affect Eyes?

The fear of experiencing side effects of the vaccine is the primary reason for hesitation for vaccination among many people. However, no significant evidence has been found to show that a vaccine can cause any vision-related side effect.

The most common reactions that occur among patients are pain, swelling and redness at the site of injection. Systemic symptoms like muscle pain, fatigue, chills and fever.

Various other vaccines, such as Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, Seasonal flu vaccine & Chickenpox and Shingles vaccine, have side effects related to vision. These vaccines can cause mild to moderate side effects related to vision. There is no scientific evidence to prove that the COVID-19 vaccine can trigger vision-related problems.

Conclusion

The vaccine plays an essential role to curb the spread of the virus causing COVID-19. Medical treatments carry risks but most of the time these treatments prove to be beneficial. The vaccine does not give a 100% guarantee to provide complete protection against COVID-19. However, it helps in reducing the severity of symptoms if any person contracts COVID-19 inspite of  taking full vaccination.

It is a must to keep social distancing, wear a mask in public & avoid touching the face, mouth and nose. It is necessary to practice hand washing exercise frequently before touching the eyes, mouth and nose.

With the progression every day, the world is preparing itself to look for a future beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no concrete evidence to indicate that COVID-19 vaccine has vision-related side effects.

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