One of the most frequent concerns we are faced with as more and more people become infected with COVID has to do with sudden onset of “red eyes”. Red and irritated eyes have a variety of causes. This article will help you determine if the symptoms you are experiencing have anything to do with a possible COVID infection.
There are two questions you should answer when you have a new onset of red, watery eyes:
- Are your eyes itchy? Itchiness is usually a sign of allergies, not an infection. Particularly if you normally suffer from allergies at a certain time of year – if your red, watery and itchy eyes feel like allergies that’s probably what is happening.
- Do you have a fever? Allergies of course will not be associated with a fever. If your red and irritated eyes are accompanied by a fever, this raises the suspicion of a viral infection.
If you do not have a fever OR itchiness but your eyes are red and irritated there are many alternative reasons for your symptoms, but COVID-19 infection is not usually one of them. Here are possible causes of red irritated eyes without a fever or itching as the predominant symptom:
- Dry eyes
- Iritis (inflammation of the iris, usually happens in only one eye at a time)
- Bacterial eye infection
- Viral (non-COVID) eye infection
- Corneal ulcer
Here is a list of additional symptoms that would cause us to be concerned that your red and irritated eyes may be part of a COVID-19 infection:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Loss of taste or smell
- Chest pain/pressure
If you have any of these symptoms, please do not call us for an appointment. Call 811 and they will direct you appropriately.
If your symptoms do not match up with a possible COVID-19 infection, please call us at Cochrane or Crowfoot or book an online consult with one of our optometrists. Certain causes of red, irritated eyes (particularly herpes viral infections or iritis) require prompt treatment as they may cause damage to your vision.
