Fact Check: Did Katy Perry Have an Eye 'Glitch' Due to Covid Vaccine?

Katy Perry fans became very concerned for the pop star when her eye appeared to refuse to open, with some speculating it was due to a Covid vaccine.

The "California Girls" singer was performing some of her last shows of her most recent Las Vegas residency when her right eye appeared to glitch.

Perry, who turned 38 on October 25, was standing on stage looking into the distance during the concert's final moments and paused as she tried to open her eye.

The right eye kept flopping such and she would tap her temple to try to open it, only for the eye to close again.

Eventually Perry managed to fix the issue and proceeded with the show telling fans, "make even more noise for my band," as she got on with the concert as though nothing happened.

The Claim

Fans quickly rushed to speculate what happened and shared their theories on social media with many joking that it was in fact a robot "glitching" instead of the real Perry on stage.

"It's like one of those dolls that you tilt back and the eyes close, but one of the eyelids got stuck open," joked one fan on Reddit.

Another guessed: "Yes, yes... she's a robot. Makes so much more sense."

But many social media users joked the eye closing was the result of a side-effect from a Covid-19 vaccine, bringing a misleading anti-vaccine narrative back to the surface.

"She got that Pfizer eye," tweeted conservative comedians, the Hodge twins.

A Reddit user wrote: "Brought to you by Pfizer."

The Facts

While Perry has yet to acknowledge the moment publicly and her representatives have not yet responded to Newsweek's request for comment, there is no evidence to support claims that vaccines, Covid or otherwise, caused it.

It is true that Perry has been a vocal advocate for the Covid-19 vaccine—even acting as a UNICEF ambassador for vaccine distribution, as well as recently dressing up as a vaccine for Halloween last year with husband Orlando Bloom—but there is little basis for speculation that it can cause an eye to close in this way, or that it was the case here.

A number of studies has shown that issues affecting the eyes after a Covid jab were rare and that the most common ocular side effects, if any, were dizziness, conjunctivitis or some redness on the eyelids.

The Center for Disease control says the more common Covid vaccine side effects are "normal signs that your body is building protection," and do not include issue relating to the eyes.

The common side effects of the Covid vaccines are pain, redness or swelling at the site of the injection, and tiredness, muscle aches, chills, fever or nausea. The CDC reiterates that Covid vaccines are safe and effective to use.

So what are the other potential reasons for the "eye malfunction?" As some social media users have speculated it was quite possibly a make-up issue.

"Since there are no women on this sub, this is from my friend who is a professional makeup artist, 'Katy has false lashes on in this. It's likely there's something in her eye, or bothering her eye, but she can't rub them because it will ruin her make up," a Reddit user wrote. "Stage make up is very heavy and will get everywhere when you touch it. She's gentling pulling her temple area to try and alleviate the itch or clear whatever is bothering her eye without doing damage. I have models that do this weekly."

"The eye lash is glued to the bottom lol," another Twitter user responded to the video.

This issue appears to be a fairly common occurrence when dealing with cosmetics, with multiple guides published online explaining why the eyelashes can "glue together."

Still, based on past reporting, an even more likely explanation is somewhat more banal, and related Perry's self-described "wonk-eye."

She told a contestant on the 2021 season of American idol that her fans had even dedicated an entire fandom to it.

Perry comforted then 16-year-old contestant Caleb Kennedy who was feeling insecure over his lazy eye.

"I have a wonk eye as well, and I used to be worried about it," she told him.

"Then a bunch of my fans created a fandom over my wonk-eye. I even have a fandom that calls itself, 'Katy's wonk-eye.'"

She added: "It's my right eye. So just celebrate all that stuff. Don't worry about it."

In a old interview, Perry opened up about the issued: "I got a prescription for my wonk eye to make go bigger whenever I take pictures because I have a slight wonk."

The singer has acknowledged the fandom and even responded "that wonk eye tho" when a fan shared a photo of her in 2016.

Newsweek has reached out to Katy Perry for comment.

The Ruling

False.

There is no evidence behind the misleading narratives linking Perry's apparent brief inability to keep one of her eyes open to vaccines, or calling her a "robot" (the latter mostly in jest).

Perry's onstage mishap was most likely the result of her self-described "wonk eye" medical condition, or her eyelash glue sticking together. Or even a combination of the two.

FACT CHECK BY NEWSWEEK