Addressing the corona virus pandemic: will a novel filtered eye mask help?

OBJECTIVE: Non-hermetically sealed eye protection does not fully protect the eyes from airborne particles. Hermetically sealed eye protection fully protects the eyes from particles, but tends to fog up, rendering it unusable. This study aimed to build and test a filtered eye mask (FEM) to protect the eyes from airborne particles, while being usable without excessive fog build up. METHODS: The steps performed to build the FEM were described. A hermetically-sealed standard eye mask (SEM) and an FEM were examined at 1-minute, 5-minute and 60-minute periods for performance metrics relating to fog. RESULTS: The SEM showed minimal fog at 1 minute, lots of fog at 5 minutes and was dripping with condensation at 60 minutes. The FEM was clear at 1 minute, 5 minutes and showed minimal fog at 60 minutes. CONCLUSION: An FEM may play an important role in preventing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) exposure by protecting the eyes from airborne particles and preventing fog, rendering it usable. Further research is strongly recommended.