There was quite a bit to unpack during Wednesday night’s Vice-Presidential debate—one that has gained more significance in recent days following President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis. However, while many focused on what both Mike Pence and Kamala Harris had to say, something else (besides a fly landing on his head) took center stage when it came to the Vice-President—his left eye.
As Pence took his turn to speak at various points—or interrupted Harris during her time—several debate watchers took notice that his left eye appeared to be red, and led many to wonder what was going on.
It also became a concern as many wondered if the Vice-President was suffering from Conjunctivitis—also known as Pink Eye—which can be a symptom of a COVID-19 infection. According to the Journal of Medical Virology, 1.1% of people who had COVID-19 also developed conjunctivitis, with an additional 3.3% of those being people with
Dear Dr. Roach: I found your response to a question about shortness of breath in a recent column very interesting, since I had the problem for a couple of years before the cause was identified. I had been to an oncologist, cardiologist and family practice, and had all proper tests and X-rays with no answers. The answer was found at the eye doctor. I had been prescribed Combigan eyedrops for pressure in the eye. I have asthma and should not have been prescribed this drug. Since I stopped taking the eyedrops, my breathing is slowly returning to normal. It was very frustrating because all physicians had a complete drug list but never picked up on it.