Patient should be seen on slitlamp with barrier precautions. Conjunctivitis should be diagnosed provisionally on clinical grounds and should be treated as viral/bacterial/allergic etc. in accordance with diagnostic criteria. The patient should be kept as online consultation thereafter until resolution.
In my opinion patient should be watched online for at least five days with strong advise to avoid contacts and if condition improves, treatment should be continued till resolution. But if deteriorates, oral Azithromycin 500mg OD may be added for three days. But if still patient feels deteriorating with additional symptoms of sore throat and fever, he/she should be referred to COVID-19 referral facility.
The following provides some of the measures
Lai, T.H.T., Tang, E.W.H., Chau, S.K.Y. et al. Stepping up infection control measures in ophthalmology during the novel coronavirus outbreak: an experience from Hong Kong.
Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-020-04641-8
Further information can be read over at:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Ophthalmology_practice_under_COVID-19
A child confirmed COVID-19 with only symptoms of conjunctivitis and eyelid dermatitis.
Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-020-04708-6
The safe approach should be to wear a protective mask and paws because the disease has the ability to be transmitted through tears (for both the patient and the ophthalmologist) in treating conjunctivitis during the COVID-19 pandemic
Using PPE. including gloves and goggles with hand hygiene before and after the procedure on the eye will be protective, although there has been no report of viral transmission through the tears or eye secretions.
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Thanks honorable colleagues for very informative input, however, it's just like entering inside a battle field where bombardment is going on with various weapons. So it should not be taken lightly ☺️