Researchers from the University of Oxford have concluded that there is "no direct evidence from randomised trials that eye protection equipment alone prevents transmission of COVID-19."
The review of forty studies considers the use of eye protective equipment to reduce droplet and aerosol spread via ocular transmission in response to concerns about the limited PPE provision globally.
The authors of the review, Kamlesh Khunti and Trish Greenhalgh, et al., conclude: "Indirect evidence suggests that healthcare workers’ conjunctivae could be exposed to infective droplets and aerosols from patients during close contact. It is important to assess contagion risk of every encounter and take appropriate precautions. Where close contact is required, guidance for full personal protective equipment should be followed."
