You may have heard that recent studies show that pink eye can be a sign of coronavirus. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s report from Tuesday, “The [coronavirus] pathogen may cause pink eye, or conjunctivitis – inflammation of the clear tissue covering the white part of the eye – in about 1-3% of infected people.” Not all cases of coronavirus include signs of pink eye, but it’s still important to be able to tell the difference. 

Symptoms of pink eye

Conjunctivitis, more widely known as pink eye, is fairly common. The most common symptoms are generally: redness in the white of the eye, more tears than usual, green or white discharge from the eye, itchy eyes, burning eyes, or blurred vision. 

Pink eye can be caused by allergies, or infection from bacteria or a virus. Similar to a sore throat, or coronavirus, this virus is very contagious and can spread very quickly through crowded areas. Depending on the cause of pink eye, it usually goes away within a week or two, though if it doesn’t, getting a checkup with us might be wise. If it is due to allergies, eye drops can serve to reduce itchiness. Untreated, severe pink eye can result in vision loss, so it is important to be mindful if you feel like you are starting to show symptoms. Treatment for conjunctivitis is usually designed to treat the symptoms and includes artificial tears or eye drops, regularly cleaning the eyelids with a clean, warm cloth, and using a warm or cold compress on the eyes several times a day. If you are experiencing pink eye, it is recommended that you stop using contacts until the virus is gone. 

Symptoms of coronavirus

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually.” However, there are some cases that have reported symptoms such as itchy, burning eyes and discharge, similar to conjunctivitis, only to find that they have coronavirus. 

If you have pink eye in addition to any of the common coronavirus symptoms, please call a nearby doctor as soon as possible. Because WAVTC deals only with eye and vision related problems, we are not properly equipped to diagnose patients with coronavirus, though we would love to help you any way we can. See this page for more information on our COVID-19 precautions within the office.