Eye tests can reveal if patients have long Covid or not, boffins have claimed.
Researchers say there is a clear connection between the condition and changes in blood vessels.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, between 10% to 35% of people have suffered from long Covid.
Symptoms include experiencing respiratory problems and fatigue after getting the all clear.
It has been known to change blood vessels, affecting the endothelium, the inner wall of the blood vessels.
Focusing on smaller blood vessels, located in the eye, scientists believe they can identify the remaining pathogens.
Research was carried out at the Technical University of Munich, in Germany.
Professor Christoph Schmaderer, managing senior physician at Klinkikum rechts der Isar – TUM’s university hospital – said: “Blood vessels in the eye could offer a clue to the condition of small blood vessels in the whole body.
The results from the study showed that some small arteries were significantly constricted in patients with long Covid, as well as reducing their response to light stimulation.
Further studies are required to create a reliable test to accurately diagnose the remaining virus.
“I am confident that a tool can be developed on the basis of our results in order to diagnose long Covid with confidence,” said Prof Schmaderer.
