More than loss of taste and smell: burning watering eyes in coronavirus disease 2019

Abstract

Objectives To evaluate ocular symptoms in European non-hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to investigate associations with the demographic data as well as nasal and general physical symptoms. Methods In this prospective, observational study, 108 non-hospitalized patients with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection not requiring intensive care were asked about disease-associated ocular symptoms, demographic data, as well as general physical and nasal symptoms using a standardized questionnaire. Total ocular symptom score (TOSS) was evaluated during and, retrospectively, before development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Associations between TOSS and demographic data as well as general and nasal symptoms were evaluated. Results Seventy-five of the 108 COVID-19 patients (69.4%) had at least one ocular symptom during COVID-19. The most common symptoms included burning sensations in 39 (36.1%), epiphora in 37 (34.3%) and redness in 28 (25.9%), compatible with conjunctivitis. These symptoms occurred 1.96 ± 3.17 days after the beginning of COVID-19 and were mild. TOSS was significantly higher during COVID-19 (1.27 ± 1.85) than before the infection (0.33 ± 1.04; p < 0.001). There were no significant associations between TOSS and gender (β coefficient –0.108; p 0.302), age (–0.024; p 0.816), rhinorrhoea (–0.127; p 0.353), nasal itching (–0.026; p 0.803), sneezing (0.099; p 0.470), nasal congestion (–0.012; p 0.930), cough (–0.079; p 0.450), headache (0.102; p 0.325), sore throat (0.208; p 0.052), or fever (0.094; p 0.361). Conclusions Ocular involvement in European non-hospitalized individuals with COVID-19 seems to be highly underestimated. Overall, these ocular symptoms, including burning sensations, epiphora and redness, seem to be mild and to not need treatment.

Global prevalence and pathogenesis of headache in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In total, 78 studies were included to calculate the prevalence of headache in COVID-19 and all studies were published in 2020. The studies were conducted in Brazil 50 , China 13 , 51 – 96 , Egypt 97 , France 98 – 101 , Germany 102 , India 103 , 104 , Italy 105 – 111 , Japan 112 , 113 , Jordan 114 , Somalia 115 , South Korea 116 , 117 , Spain 118 , 119 , Turkey 120 , 121 , and the US 122 – 126 . Two studies were cross-sectional 119 , 122 , five were prospective cohort studies 65 , 90 , 98 , 110 , 121 and the remaining 71 studies were retrospective studies.…”

Profiles and outcomes in patients with COVID-19 admitted to wards of a French oncohematological hospital: A clustering approach

“…In contrast, various clinical presentations of COVID-19 patients have been reported; most reports have described the prevalence of each symptom separately, either from a single cohort or from meta-analyses of previous reports [ 13 ], or they have focused on specific symptoms, such as neurological symptoms (including anosmia [ 13 ] or ocular symptoms [ 14 ]).…”

No secret hiding place on the ocular surface: what about after systemic SARS-CoV-2 infection?

“…In addition, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in ocular tissues, tears, and conjunctival secretions of patients with systemic SARS-CoV-2 infection [2][3][4]. Therefore, a potential hiding place on the ocular surface after systemic SARS-CoV-2 infection seems to be possible, especially in patients showing unspecific conjunctivitis during COVID-19 or in patients with ongoing systemic symptoms [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Furthermore, there is not much known about SARS-CoV-2 on the ocular surface in asymptomatic carriers.…”