Study: 'Corona' may cause long-term visual disturbances even after mild infection - Sarmad
A recent scientific study revealed that infection with the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, even in mild cases that do not require hospitalization, may be associated with vision disturbances lasting for months or years, adding a new effect to the list of the virus’s long-term symptoms.
According to Medical Xpress, reported yesterday on Thursday, researchers from Linköping University in Sweden conducted the study, with results published in the scientific journal Nature Communications. The study involved approximately 100 individuals who had contracted COVID-19 and experienced visual problems lasting between three months and three years after recovery.
Study participants reported symptoms including severe light sensitivity, eye pain, difficulty focusing, and visual discomfort that impaired their ability to read, work, and study. Conventional eye examinations, however, did not reveal any obvious abnormalities.
To understand the causes of these symptoms, researchers compared infected individuals who developed visual disturbances with another group of patients infected with the same virus but without vision problems. They used advanced tests to analyze eye functions and tear components.
The results showed signs of chronic inflammation and disruption of visual functions linked to brain nerves, as well as changes in proteins present in tear fluid that are related to immune regulation and nerve functions.
Researchers explained that nerve damage caused by the virus may affect the function of the pupil, leading to the entry of a larger amount of light. This explains the severe light sensitivity, headaches, and difficulty concentrating experienced by some patients. It may also be linked to disturbances in eye movement coordination in others.
The team emphasized that the findings help explain visual symptoms suffered by some COVID-19 patients that conventional examinations failed to account for, while noting the need for broader studies to confirm the results and develop appropriate treatments for these long-term cases.
COVID-19 is caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which primarily affects the respiratory system and can cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe. It has since become evident that its effects may extend to other organs in some patients.
