Health experts have warned that a new, unusual symptom of coronavirus could be presenting itself recently, and could be a sign for dominant strain Omicron.
As reported by the Daily Record, at the beginning of the pandemic, people were told to look out for just three signs of the virus - a fever, loss of taste and smell, and a new, continuous cough.
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Now, however, with all the different strains roaming the country, dominant strain Omicron has presented over 20 different symptoms in many different areas of the body.
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Omicron symptoms are more cold-like and can be milder than previous strains, but the newest symptom can cause persistent eye pain.
General doctor Dr Nina Aslam has explained the new symptom to its furthest degree below.
Dr Aslam said that the newest symptom is a form of conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that lines the inside of your eyelids.
The lesser-known sign of the virus was first seen on a 29-year-old in March 2020.
The woman experienced minimal respiratory issues, but dealt with a severe case of conjunctivitis” after she tested positive for Covid.
Dr Aslam explained: "Cell receptors by which Covid variants enter the body are present in the eye.”
She added that a preliminary study has also revealed that Omicron might have a greater capacity to impact the eyes than other variants.
The GP advised that we protect our eyes by keeping them clean and treating any red eye or discharge quickly.
She said: “Wipe away any crust from each eye using a separate, clean cotton wool pad dipped in cooled boiled water.”
In case of mild conjunctivitis infections, we can use certain eye drops or eye ointments as treatment.
A reminder of the main Omicron symptoms are below:
Dry/scratchy throat
Runny nose
Sneezing
Mild muscle aches
Fatigue
Other reported signs of the variant include congestion, brain fog, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, nausea or vomiting, with some people also experiencing sleep paralysis and night sweats.
