New study in China suggests eyeglasses can help protect against COVID-19

A new study suggests eyeglasses could help protect against COVID-19 after researchers noticed an odd trend in China.

Researchers found that people in Wuhan, China, who wore eyeglasses at least eight hours a day had a lower chance of getting the virus, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Opthamology.

In one hospital in central China, 276 patients were admitted over a 47-day period, but only 16 of them wore eyeglasses regularly.

The theory right now is that eyeglasses may be a partial barrier, protecting the eyes from the splatter of a cough or sneeze.

The coronavirus can attack through mucous membranes in the nose, mouth and eyes.

Theoretically, you should protect all the mucosal surfaces," Dr. Anthony Fauci said. "So, if you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it."

This study was small, involving fewer than 300 cases of COVID-19, which is a fraction of the nearly 30 million worldwide.

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