Detection of Coronavirus in Tear Samples of Hospitalized Patients With Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 From Oropharyngeal Swabs

Abstract

Using a tear fluid sampling technique similar to oropharyngeal lavage presents a higher percentage of SARS-CoV-2 positive tears in contrast to earlier reports that used a conjunctival swab. This does not automatically indicate viral shedding in ocular tissue or contagiousness of tear fluid.