Last year, American doctor Ian Crozier was diagnosed with Ebola virus in his blood but was treated at Emory University Hospital and soon declared free of the virus, not knowing it still lied in his eyes.
The doctor at the time worries less in his eyes.
“There were lots of things sort of higher on the food chain,” he told CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.” “I was struggling to learn to walk again.”
But when mild burning and light sensitivity afflicted his eyes, it is when he got back at Emory for testing.
The results however showed that the virus was still living in his eye.
“It felt almost personal that the virus could be in my eye without me knowing it, “he told The New York Times.
His case led the doctors to highlight the need for eye checkups for Ebola survivors.
Crozier developed eye problems in which the doctors stuck needle to remove some fluid positive for the virus.
“We certainly didn’t think it was related to active and replicating virus in the eye,” Crozier said. “As my sight started to go bad, it became clear that this was a very different animal.”
Doctors also tested the samples from tears and the other eye membrane which results are negative concluding that the patient is not at risk of spreading the disease during casual contact.
However, Jay Varkey, assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine, urged patient, health care providers treating survivors, and eye doctors must follower Ebola safety protocols though Crozier’s case is not at risk of spreading the virus.
Ebola virus is still a threat.
H/T: CNN; and screen grab (photo)