The unprecedented situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has not only escalated the need for various goods and services but also created new needs. Things like masks and sanitisers find their place in all homes today. Things like a pulse oximeter is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.
Last week, I was looking for places to order glasses online, and every site that I visited had a lot to offer. It could be made out that these e-commerce firms have left no stones unturned to attract customers towards their sites – thanks to the rising demand of glasses during the pandemic.
Blue Light Glasses: Selling Like Hotcakes
Due to the increase in screen time that almost all of us have been subjected to ever since the pandemic confined us to our homes and also with things like online classes and work from home serving as alternatives for the conventional methods, the sale of glasses that block blue light have grown exponentially.
These glasses can go a long way in dealing with conditions like digital eye strain and are a wonderful digital protection instrument. The demand for these glasses has ensured that pairs in all styles and types are now available in the markets – both online and offline.
To take care of your digital wellbeing, it is high time that you get a pair for yourself too.
Beyond Blue Light Glasses
There is no doubt that blue light blocking glasses are now a necessity. But what about the other variants of glasses? Has the pandemic not created the need for them?
There is a solid link between the above-mentioned questions and another important question – Is coronavirus transmitted through the eyes? Let us discuss the latter question in detail.
Is Coronavirus Transmitted Through the Eyes?
Before reaching any conclusion, we need to understand a bit of biology. Coronavirus cannot enter the human body through each and every cell. It requires certain favourable cells to cause infection. The virus binds onto a receptor known as ACE2, to enter into our body. It can enter our body only through those cells which produce the key receptor.
So does the eye surface contain cells producing the ACE2 receptor? The answer might lie in the positive, as it was found out by a group of researchers at the John Hopkins University – one of the leading organisations behind research related to COVID-19. These researchers not only found the presence of ACE2 in the surface cells of the eyes but also an enzyme known as TMPRSS2, which is also known to facilitate the entry of coronavirus into our body.
It has also been found out that by including face shields (which also cover the eyes) into safety gears, along with the conventional masks, the chances of getting infected does reduce by a significant scale.
There is no doubt that the coronavirus is more likely to be transmitted through the passage of mouth or nose, but eye as a probable medium of passage can also not be ruled out.
Coming back to glasses, the role that glasses play as a mechanical blockade against all sorts of substances, even the microscopic ones, can prevent the coronavirus from entering our eyes to a significant extent. When you wear spectacles, the need to touch or rub your eyes also reduces, bringing down the chances of transmission further.
You can buy eyeglasses online. If you are in need of emergency glasses, you can still rely on the online medium, with the next day delivery feature offered by some sites.