Chaolin Huang and colleagues1 reported on the epidemiology, symptoms, and treatment of patients infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China. As ophthalmologists, we believe that the transmission of 2019-nCoV through the eyes was ignored .
On January 22, Guangfa Wang, a member of the national pneumonia expert panel, reported that he was infected by 2019-nCoV during inspection in Wuhan.2
He was wearing an N95 mask but was not wearing anything to protect his eyes.
Several days before the onset of pneumonia, Wang complained of red eyes. Unprotected eye exposure to 2019-nCoV at the Wuhan Fever Clinic could have allowed the virus to infect the body.2
Infectious droplets and body fluids can easily contaminate human conjunctival epithelium.3 Respiratory viruses are capable of inducing ocular complications in infected patients, leading to respiratory infection.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is predominantly transmitted through direct or indirect contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth or nose.5
The fact that exposed mucous membranes and unprotected eyes increased the risk of SARS-CoV4 transmission suggests that exposure of unprotected eyes to 2019-nCoV could cause acute respiratory infection.
Therefore, Huang and colleagues1 should have analyzed conjunctival scrapings from confirmed and suspected 2019-nCoV cases during symptom onset.
The respiratory tract is probably not the only transmission route for 2019-nCoV, and all ophthalmologists examining suspected cases should wear protective glasses.
We do not declare competing interests.
