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Similarly, study in India found the risk of COVID-19 to be 2 to 3 times lower in people who reported wearing glasses continually during the day and during outdoor activities than in those who did not wear glasses ( Saxena, medRxiv 2021 - preprint).Īs discussed in an article in JAMA (Perencevich, et al, April 29, 2020), the Infectious Disease Society of America has included societal use of face shields as well as face masks in its recommendations as restrictions are eased on extreme social distancing. Even eyeglasses may provide some benefit: A study of COVID-19 patients in a hospital in China found that only 16 of 276 patients (or 5.8%) wore glasses (i.e., at least 8 hours per day for near-sightedness) compared to an estimated 31.5% of the general population, suggesting that wearers of eyeglasses may be less susceptible to COVID-19 body ( Zeng, JAMA Opthal 2020).
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The eyes are considered an important entry to the body for SARS-CoV-2. A review of studies of coronavirus transmission found that the use of eye protection (face shields, visors or goggles) found that the use of eye protection was associated with 78% less infection than with no eye protection, with the researchers noting that "Eye protection is typically underconsidered and can be effective in community settings." ( Chu, Lancet 2020).
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Keep in mind, however, that face shields should always be worn in addition to a mask, not as a replacement for a mask.įace shields also provide some protection for the eyes. During the 1 to 30 minutes after a cough, during which the aerosol had dispersed throughout the room and larger particles had settled, the face shield reduced aerosol inhalation by only 23% ( Lindsley, J Occup Environ Hyg 2014). However, the same study showed that face shields were much less effective in reducing the inhalation of smaller aerosols that can remain suspended in the air longer than larger droplets. At a distance of just 18 inches from a coughing individual, face shields (worn without a mask) have been shown to reduce immediate viral exposure by 96%, according to a study using influenza virus. Just as face masks are now commonly worn in public to protect from exposure to the virus known as SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID-19), face shields (clear plastic shields that cover the face) are starting to be worn outside of medical settings, and for good reason.