Hilary Duff Says She Got An Eye Infection From A COVID-19 Test, But Is That Even Possible?

Hilary Duff Says She Got An Eye Infection From A COVID-19 Test, But Is That Even Possible?
  • Over the holidays, Hilary Duff ended up in the emergency room for an eye infection.
  • The Younger actress says that she got the infection from the regular COVID-19 testing on set. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not currently list eye infections as a side effect of nasal swab coronavirus tests.
  • Laura Di Meglio, O.D., instructor of ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says the risk of eye infection from a COVID-19 test is extremely low.

Yesterday, Hilary Duff shared photos from her family’s Christmas in Boston. Her husband Matthew Koma dressed up as Santa, the family went sledding, and her daughter Banks tried clam pasta. The holiday took a turn when Hilary went to the emergency room for an eye infection. But don’t worry, she’s okay.

“My eye started to look weird…and hurt…a lot…,” she wrote. “Took a little trip to the emergency room.” Turns out, her eye was infected. “I got an eye infection from all the COVID tests at work…cuz you know, 2020 and all.”

Hilary’s been in New York for the past few months shooting a new season of Younger. Like every other film production in the post-coronavirus world, cast and crew get tested at least once a week. Her post left fans wondering: Is it possible to get an eye infection from a COVID-19 test?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not currently list eye infections as a side effect of nasal swab COVID tests.

Laura Di Meglio, O.D., instructor of ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says the risk of eye infection from a COVID test is extremely low. “If it’s done properly—and most tests are done in sanitary situations where everything is washed and gloves are changed between each test—it’s going through the nose into the throat,” Dr. Di Meglio describes.

Later in her Instagram Story, Hilary said she was prescribed antibiotics, which would suggest a bacterial infection resulting from contamination. “It would be very difficult for an eye infection to be created from the COVID test that’s going through the nose, back to the throat, and right back out,” Dr. Di Meglio says. “If everything is done with sanitation, really, there should be very little chance of contamination.”

Some people have described eye-watering during their COVID tests, but if the test is done correctly, the swab shouldn’t go near your eyeball. “It definitely makes your eyes water, because the COVID test hits a nerve that will create that tearing effect, but if it’s done properly, the swab goes up through the nose and is directed back to the throat, so you shouldn’t get any sensation on the eyeballs,” Dr. Di Meglio says.

Thousands of essential workers, healthcare professionals, athletes, and performers have been getting tested every week for the last nine months. “A one-person situation would not indicate that it’s correlated, so it’s hard to make an assumption based on it happening to one individual,” Dr. Di Meglio says. “If it were happening more often, we’d be hearing about it a lot more.”

That’s all to say: Keep getting tested.

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