All Eyes Are On Corona Virus… How Will You Protect Your Eyes From It?

Of Course, we’re amidst a global pandemic!! “We can either use pandemic as a word that makes us all quake with fear or we can use it as a rallying cry to say—This is what we’re going to do to fight it.”—Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, MN, USA.

Li Wenliang, a young Chinese ophthalmologist working at the Wuhan Central Hospital in Wuhan, China, tried to alert his colleagues on the social media WeChat on December 30, 2019, about the outbreak of an illness that resembled severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). And unfortunately he was amongst the first known case of a patient‑to‑ophthalmologist transmission of this new strain of coronavirus. India reported the first case of COVID‑19 on January 30, 2020,in the southern coastal state of Kerala in a student who had a travel history to Wuhan, China.

           

So, we are all in getting our daily updates on social media, Whatssap messages are flooded, friends and colleagues are all discussing about this one thing – COVID 19….
The  Key Mantra is DO NOT PANIC !! Stay safe, and remember: we're all in this together.

Ten reasons why you should not panic..

1. We know what it is - we have identified the virus and have characterized it.

2. We know how to detect - sensitive and specific tests are in

3. The situation is improving in China - number of cases and deaths are on drastic decline

4. Most cases are mild - 81% cases are mild

5. Patients recover - of 169,610 cases to date, 77,776 have completely recovered

6. Symptoms are mild in the young - only 3% cases occur in those <20 0.2="" and="" in="" is="" mortality="" o:p="" only="">

7. The virus can be wiped clean in a minute - the virus can be inactivated by ethanol, hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite

8. Science is on it, globally - the international science cooperation is at its peak in tackling COVID-19

9. Vaccines are in the making - there are already vaccine prototypes

10. Antivirals are coming - Remdesivir, Chloroquine, Oseltamivir and Interferon 1b are under trial.

Coronavirus may cause pink eye — but it’s rare.

Health officials believe viral pink eye, or conjunctivitis, develops in about 1% to 3% of people with coronavirus. The virus can spread by touching discharge from an infected person’s eyes.

Limiting eye exposure can help. Here’s why:

1. ·         When a sick person coughs or talks, virus particles can spray from their mouth or nose into another person’s face. You’re most likely to inhale these droplets through your mouth or nose, but they can also enter through your eyes.
2. ·         People who have coronavirus can also spread the illness through their tears. Touching tears or a surface where tears have landed can be another portal to infection.
3. ·         You can also become infected by touching something that has the virus on it — like a table or doorknob — and then touching your eyes.

As a specialist in eye care, we recommend the following things to limit the spread…

• ·         If you have cough, cold, fever along with eye symptoms, please call us up in advance. If it is not an emergency we might ask you to stay at home and we will follow up with you.
• ·         If you arrive sick at the clinic, we might ask you to use the personal protective measures like masks, gloves, goggles to prevent the spread to others.
• ·         If you are wearing contact lenses, switch to glasses during such period. Glasses will shield your eyes, provide 100% protection from infected droplets in the environment and prevent you from touching your eyes again and again. Contact lens users tend to touch their eyes more frequently than others.
• ·         Avoid rubbing your eyes and touching your face again and again.

Coronavirus: What parents should know and do..

          We are still learning about this new virus; there is much we do not know yet about how it spreads, how serious it can be, or how to treat it. The fact that so much is unknown is a big part of what makes it frightening. But there are things we do know — about this virus and other similar viruses — that can help us keep our children safe and well.

Watch for warning signs of problems, and seek medical attention if they occur:

·         Any trouble breathing (rapid or heavy breathing, sucking in around the neck or ribs, looking pale or bluish)

·         Severe cough that won’t stop

·         High fever that won’t come down with acetaminophen or ibuprofen

·         Unusual sleepiness

·         Irritability or pain that you cannot soothe

·         Refusal to take fluids, or any signs of dehydration (dry mouth, no tears when crying, not urinating at least every six hours).

For any Eye related Queries, Contact us @ Vatsal Eye Care & Laser Centre, Vasai west.

Contact number – 8451813423. 

Web : www.vatsaleyecare.com

ADDRESSES

i. Vasai Station:

B-2, Panchal Nagar, Near KT Vision cinema, Navghar, Station road, Vasai West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 401202, India. 

ii. Vasai Gaon:

Opp Parnaka Police chowki Behind Nayak hotel, Parnaka Vasai West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 401201, India.