Dominic Cummings admitted taking a 60-mile round trip while in Durham to check his eyesight had recovered from the effects of a suspected case of coronavirus.
And Boris Johnson defended his top aide in tonight’s Downing Street press conference, pulling out his pair of glasses and saying: ‘I’m finding that I have to wear spectacles for the first time in years – I think because of the effects of this thing.
‘I think that’s very, very plausible that eyesight can be a problem associated with coronavirus.’
So, what is the truth to the claims?
One leading ophthalmologist – a medic who specialises in eye care – says it is possible that the coronavirus could cause permanent eye damage.
Dr Annie Nguyen, of the University of Southern California, said that oxygen deprivation may cause damage to the optic nerve and retina, in theory.
Oxygen deprivation is a known side effect of severe Covid-19, and can lead to patients needing urgent treatment in intensive care.
But in a blog post about how Covid-19 affects the eyes, Dr Nguyen said: ‘At this point permanent eye damage from Covid-19 has not been reported.’
CAN THE VIRUS ENTER YOUR BODY THROUGH YOUR EYES?
Doctors first warned the killer coronavirus could be spread through the eyes in January, when the epicentre was in Wuhan, China.
The World Health Organization warns people can become infected with the virus by touching a contaminated surface and then their eyes.
However, the main way the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads is through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.
Medics on the pandemic frontline are supposed to wear goggles or face visors in order to protect their eyes and cut their chance of infection.
CAN COVID-19 AFFECT YOUR VISION?
Some Covid-19 patients have suffered conjunctivitis – an inflammation of the eye which causes it to become red and infected.
Researchers behind one study found that conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, was a symptom in around 30 per cent of patients.
The tell-tale symptoms of Covid-19 are a cough, a fever, shortness of breath and anosmia – the scientific term for losing your sense of smell and taste.