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Can Glasses Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 Infection?

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Clinical trial concludes that wearing glasses does not protect you from COVID-19

Covid-19 has wreaked havoc across the world during the past 3 years. It has caused widespread fear and panic among people, especially among the elderly and diseased individuals.

As this deadly virus continues to infect people, scientists have been scampering to find new and innovative ways to reduce the risk of infection in the general public.

Recently a clinical trial was conducted to assess whether wearing glasses could reduce the risk of getting infected by Covid-19. 

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus which belongs to a family of viruses called coronavirus that can cause respiratory infection in human beings. Coronaviruses are often found in bats, cats, and camels. The viruses live in but don’t infect the animals. However, once they enter the human body they can cause mild to severe respiratory illness, including death.

The use of eye protective gear for infection control was proposed more than 100 years ago but has received little attention during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Initial clinical studies have indicated that wearing glasses may be associated with a reduced risk of Covid-19 infection however, strong clinical evidence on this topic is lacking.
To rectify this, a clinical trial was conducted recently in Norway to determine whether eyeglasses prevented covid-19 infection among the general public.

The clinical study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), involved 3717 participants. They were divided into two groups. One group was advised to wear glasses when they were close to other people in public places while the other group was advised to continue their everyday lives without glasses. Both groups were instructed to follow standard COVID-19 preventive measures, such as hand hygiene and physical distancing.

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The participants were followed for 2 weeks at the end of which their records were assessed to find out how many of them contracted Covid-19.

The results of the clinical trial showed that 3.7% of the people wearing glasses contracted Covid-19 while only 3.5% of the participants got infected in the other group.

These results highlight that wearing glasses did not reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19 as the rates of infection were not significantly different in both groups.

Previously it was thought that the virus could enter the body through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth, and wearing glasses might act as a physical barrier to prevent the respiratory droplets containing the virus from reaching the eyes. However, this clinical trial has refuted these earlier claims.

In conclusion, this clinical trial has suggested that wearing glasses does not reduce the risk of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2. Hence, it is important to follow other protective measures such as regular hand washing, physical distancing, and avoidance of crowded places to protect yourselves from getting infected with the coronavirus.
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This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. CenTrial Data Ltd. does not take responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. Treatments and clinical trials mentioned may not be appropriate or available for all trial participants. Outcomes from treatments and clinical trials may vary from person to person. Consult with your doctor as to whether a clinical trial is a suitable option for your condition. Assistance from generative AI tools may have been used in writing this article.