MASK ASSOCIATED DRY EYE (MADE): ARE WE HEADING TOWARDS ANOTHER PANDEMIC?

Neha Thakur, Dr. Pranidhi Sharda*

ABSTRACT

The global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome, COVID-19 has severly affected the world’s social and health systems and has a great impact on every being. In an attempt to control the spread of the disease, regular usage of face masks became an ordinary routine. A large proportion of the population is reporting ocular symptoms through the period of mask wearing that are still underestimated. The results of our study indicate that the presence and severity of the ocular complaints are dependent on the type of mask and the duration of usage. Some medications approved for the treatment of dry eye symptoms may have a defensive effect against the viral invasion, which should be additionally evaluated.

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