Glasses are the New Go-To

By Jaylyn Preslicka, Staff Reporter

Courtesy of SHUTTERSHOCK

Contact wear-ers beware, it seems like the coronavirus is complicating far more than people’s paychecks and vacation plans.

New studies show people should be worrying about their eyes as well since the virus could be harboring in the small piece of plastic.

Although many have taken precaution with masks, the eyes are the last thing on some people’s minds. While the mouth and nose are the easier ways for the virus to enter your system, eyes can be infected as well.

When it comes to face protection, people should be reminded of how children’s infections spread- hands in mouth, nose, then eyes. The coronavirus is not exempt from that.

“I would advise not wearing contact lenses,” OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member Francis S. Mah, MD, said. “If we are touching things in general and then contact lenses and we transmit it to our mouth, nose and eyes, we can contract the virus.”

Contact lenses are susceptible to anything in the air. Unlike glasses, there is no “layer” of protection between the environment and your eyes. Although this may not seem like an issue as some dont need glasses or contacts, contact wearers generally have to use their fingers to take the contacts in and out. It is crucial to change the solution to every wear of the contacts since the virus will remain on the plastic and putting the contacts back into your eyes without the proper treatment is an added danger.

It is a common notion now that people should refrain from touching their face in public as well as at home without washing their hands. By wearing glasses, there is more of a hesitation to rub the eyes and a subconscious nod to remembering not to touch the face.

During times like these, it is imperative that everyone takes the proper precautions to stay safe- even if that means digging out an old pair of glasses from the junk drawer.

If you do choose to wear contacts during this time, remember to not touch your eyes without the proper handwashing and always have a contact case with new solution nearby.