“I think it’s very important that the problem is recognized and that we show that it can be measured by objective testing. Patients don’t have access to that today. We’ve studied people in Sweden, but believe that many people around the world are experiencing these problems,” says Neil Lagali, professor of experimental ophthalmology at Linköping University, who led the study published in Nature Communications.

The study originated with people seeking care for eye problems after a mild COVID-19 infection. They were experiencing a lot of discomfort, sensitivity to light and, in many cases, severe eye pain, difficulty reading and focusing their gaze.