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Eye Herpes
(Ocular Herpes)
Is caused by the type 1 herpes simplex
virus. It is a common and recurring
condition that affects the eyes and may
affect an estimated 400,000 Americans,
with 50,000 new and recurring cases
reported each year. This type of herpes is
known to cause inflammation and
scarring of the cornea which forms cold
sore on the eye. Herpes of the eye can be
transmitted through close contact with an
infected person with an active virus, or
through self contact and contamination
infection (such as a cold sore of the lip).
Although the virus can remain dormant
for years, an outbreak may occur and is
often associated with factors such stress
fever, sunburn, major dental or surgical
procedures and trauma.
Once the initial outbreak occurs, the NEI
says untreated eye herpes has about a
40-50 percent chance of returning. There
is no specific time frame for ocular
herpes to reappear; it could be several
weeks or even several years following the
original occurrence. Although symptoms
usually present themselves in only one
eye, the virus possibly could affect the
other eye as well.
Types of Eye Herpes
The different types of Eye Herpes include
that range from a simple infection to a
condition that can possibly cause
blindness include: Herpes keratitis
which is the most common form of eye
herpes and causes a viral corneal
infection.
Stromal keratitis causes the infection to
go deeper into the layers of the cornea.
This can lead to scarring, loss of vision
and, occasionally, blindness.
Iridocyclitis is a serious form of eye
herpes where the iris and surrounding
tissues inside the eye become inflamed,
causing severe sensitivity to light, blurred
vision, pain and redness. Iridocyclitis is a
type of uvietis that affects the more
frontal eye, it is known as herpes retinitis.
Eye Herpes Symptoms
and Signs
Various signs and symptoms of ocular
herpes outbreak include: inflammation of
the cornea, which can cause an irritation
or sudden and severe ocular pain or
blurred vision; swelling around the eyes;
eye redness; and water discharge.
Eye Herpes Treatment
Treatment for eye herpes depends on
where the infection is located in the eye.
Some ocular herpes treatments could
aggravate the outbreak and therefore
should be considered on a case-by-case
basis.
Superficial infections can usually be
alleviated by using antiviral eye drops,
ointments, or oral antiviral pills.
Zirgan (Sirion Therapeutics, Tampa,
Fla.) was approved by the FDA in late
2009 as a topical antiviral treatment for
eye herpes. The treatment (ganciclovir
ophthalmic gel, 0.15 percent), which
became commercially available in the
United States in late April 2010, requires
putting eye drops in the eye five times a
day until the related corneal ulcer heals.
References:
Ocular Herpes (Eye Herpes). Hcsupportnetwork.
Retrieved June 20, 2011 from
http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/ocular_herpes.
htm
Ocular Herpes, Eye Herpes OR Herpes Eye
Infections. Retrieved June 20, 2011 from
http://yoshi2me.com/herpes/ocular-herpes.html
Wang, Jim C., MD, Hampton, Roy Sr., MD et. Al,
Opthalmologic Manifestations of Herpes Simplex
Keratitis, Retrieved from
http://www.emedicine.medscape.com/article/119
4268-overview
Ocular Herpes Retrieved June 20, 2011 from
http://www.ocularherpes.net/
Eyefacts. Retrievedd June 20, 2011 from
http://www.uic.edu/com/eye/Learningaboutvisio
n/eyefacts/ocularherpessimplex.shtml