An
adult patient with COVID-19 usually presents with symptoms of flu like dry
cough, myalgia, headache, fever with chills, breathing difficulty and sore
throat. Unlike common flu, acute anosmia without nasal obstruction, hyposmia
and dysgeusia are considered as early signs and warrant self-isolation and
testing. Children usually have milder symptoms with a good prognoses. Nasopharynx
and oropharynx being the reservoirs of the viral load, Otolaryngologist becomes
the most vulnerable for infection transmission while screening, sampling or
operating on any such patient.
Ocular
involvement in COVID-19 is extremely low, and manifests mainly as conjunctivitis,
in the form of conjunctival hyperaemia, chemosis, increased secretions and/or
epiphora. Although it is presumed to be self-limiting, tears are potential
source of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The nature and proximity of ophthalmic
examination makes the eye care personnel highly prone to COVID-19 infection.
There are reports of ophthalmologists getting infected with COVID-19, and
succumbing to this disease. Besides the recommended practice guidelines,
surgical interventions in ENT and ophthalmology practice should be limited to
urgent and semi-urgent indications.
Keywords: Anosmia, Conjunctivitis, Cough, COVID-19, Corona virus disease 2019, Cotton wool spots, Dysgeusia, ENT, Eye, Fundus, Headache, High risk, Hyposmia, Manifestations, Otolaryngology, Ophthalmic, Ocular, Retinal, SARSCoV- 2, Sore throat.
