SERI and SNEC researchers are collaborating with doctors from SGH’s Department of Infectious Diseases and A*STAR to determine if tears can be used to diagnose COVID-19 cases early. Prof Louis Tong, Principal Clinician Scientist & Head of the Ocular Surface Research Group, SERI, and Senior Consultant, Corneal & External Eye Disease Dept, SNEC, explained that tears contain antiviral proteins, and the addition of a test substance or viral gene sequence in a sample of tears can determine the efficacy and sensitivity of the test. The team will also study the possibility of dispensing the COVID-19 vaccine through eyedrops.