A common and relatively mild malady is yet another symptom people should watch for in the fight against COVID-19, experts say.
Conjunctivitis — commonly known as pink eye and typically brought on by a virus, bacteria or allergies — can be a symptom of a COVID infection. And public health leaders are emphasizing the importance of taking note of the potential relationship between pink eye symptoms and the coronavirus as a new variant spreads.
Here’s what to know about the connection between pink eye and COVID, what symptoms to watch for and when to seek treatment:
What to know
“COVID conjunctivitis,” or pink eye, “is one of the ocular manifestations of the coronavirus,” per the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and it is a form of viral conjunctivitis.
“There are reports in which conjunctivitis was the only sign of COVID-19,” the group says. “Other reports showed that the patients of COVID-19 developed conjunctivitis later in their course of disease after hospitalization.”
Research has shown, according to the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Truhlsen Eye Institute, that the COVID-19 virus can be “found in the eye’s tear film,” triggering pink eye symptoms.
“It’s important to note that while eye symptoms have been reported in relation to positive COVID-19 cases, it is uncommon for it to be the only symptom,” Nebraska researchers say. “Although pink eye seems to be one of the more common eye symptoms, it occurs in a low percentage of people. Research also indicates it may be more common in people with severe cases of COVID-19.”
Recently, pink eye has gotten more attention as a COVID symptom amid the emergence of the XBB.1.16 variant, known as “Arcturus.”
In a late April statement, the Los Angeles health department said while “it is too early to know with certainty if XBB.1.16 is truly associated with higher rates of conjunctivitis,” it’s important to take the symptom seriously in order to limit the variant’s spread.
