Mohsen Mirshamsi
1 
, Nasrin Ghiasi
2 , Sharareh Heidari
3, Parisa Hosseinpour
4 , Babak Hassanlouei
5 , Seyed Mohammad Amin Hashemipour
6 , Naser Samadi Aidenloo
7* , Rohollah Valizadeh
8 1 Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
2 Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
3 Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5 Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
6 Young Researchers and Elites Club, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Yazd Branch, Yazd, Iran
7 Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Urmia, Urmia, Iran
8 Student Research Committee, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in Wuhan, in late December 2019 and was became a pandemic health problem worldwide. In this review, the current evidence related to the ocular transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and its common manifestations was studied. According to this review, 7% to 69.4% of patients had at least an ocular symptom following COVID-19. Ocular symptom are bilateral or unilateral conjunctivitis, increased secretion, eye itching and foreign body sensation, epiphora, dry eye, conjunctival congestion, eye pink, conjunctival hyperemia, and chemosis. SARS-CoV-2 particles were found in tears and conjunctiva. Therefore, the transmission of COVID-19 by conjunctiva is possible. Then, it is essential to wear eye shield to protect against developing ocular involvement by COVID-19 because personal glasses and contact lenses cannot protect from COVID-19.