By Adekunle Yusuf
An optometrist, Dr. Chigaemezu Edward, has advised Nigerians on the need to protect their eyes more carefully during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He warned there is a tendency to get infected with the virus through the eyes.
He also decried Nigerians’ penchant for disregarding COVID-19 safety protocols, warning the pandemic, which disrupted all sectors and has caused over 2.79 million deaths worldwide, is still on the rampage.
While reminding Nigerians that COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets of saliva or nasal discharge released when a person infected with the virus sneezes or cough, the optometrist lamented the general lackadaisical attitude towards eye health care has led to various eye infections in the virus era.
According to him, all these could have been prevented if there is unrestricted access to affordable eye care services and basic information on eye matters.
“We adopt precautionary methods to protect primarily our nose and mouth through the use of nose masks. A few use face shields to ensure their eyes are also protected.
“Although the emphasis is on the nose and mouth, you can’t neglect to protect the eyes as we tend to touch our faces 3.6 times per hour during which we touch the eyes.
“Sometimes you have the urge to rub your eyes when it itches, and you do so reflexively. If your hands come in contact with a contaminated surface and then you touch your eye, the virus can be transferred to the surface of the eye. The general belief is that the virus gets into the body via the conjunctiva.”
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Speaking on how to protect the eyes, he admonished the first thing is not to throw caution to the wind, especially in the COVID-19 era.
“If you must touch your eyes for whatever reason, don’t throw caution to the wind and just touch it. Ensure you wash your hands properly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
“Disinfecting of surfaces whether at home, office, malls, schools, is apt. If you wear a contact lens, you have to be extremely careful.
“You must ensure you clean and disinfect them following your eye doctor’s instructions or you could switch temporarily to wearing glasses as the frames will act as a barrier preventing you from touching the eye.
“Even with the glasses on, you should touch them if need be with a tissue and not your bare hands. Another way you can protect the eye is by wearing safety google and if you can’t get one, then get safety glasses that use the wrap-around style. These are the best forms of protective glasses.”
Defending his reasons for supporting the use of glasses with wrap-around style features, Edward said protective shields do one thing: protect.
“When you wear face shields and glasses, whether recommended or not, your eyes are still exposed from the sides, top and bottom of the glass, making you still vulnerable to respiratory droplets sprayed in your direction.
“A wrap-around style has extensions that cover the sides and prevents bacteria, virus, particles, or any foreign object from entering your eyes.”
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