Does wearing Eyeglasses protect you from Covid-19?

Team Udayavani, Sep 18, 2020, 11:24 AM IST

Amid Covid-19, various prevention methods have been suggested by the government which include proper hand and respiratory hygiene, social distancing, and staying at home, unless absolutely necessary to go out.

However, recently, a study from China shows that people who wear eyeglasses may be at a lower risk of catching COVID-19, than those who do not.

The study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that people who wear eyeglasses may be at some degree of protection.

According to The Conversation, The study found that only 16 (5.8%) of the 276 patients admitted with COVID-19 wore glasses for more than eight hours a day.

Based on this observation, the researchers speculated that wearing eyeglasses for more than eight hours per day may be protective against the novel coronavirus infection.

It is said that this may be due to eyeglasses acting as a barrier that reduces the frequency with which people touch their eyes.