Herpes of the eyes how is it spread

One type of herpes simplex destroys cells in the eyes. For this condition your eye doctor may recommend that you take an additional medicine corticosteroids to help prevent serious problems. However, corticosteroids should not be taken for other forms of HSV. Be sure that your eye doctor knows about all your symptoms. Severe cases may require surgery. Some doctors recommend keratoplasty a cornea transplant if the cornea has been severely scarred.

They may prescribe pills to reduce the chance of HSV in the transplant. After the first infection, HSV may not cause any problems for months or years. Then sores may reappear when your immune system is weakened by disease or stress. Sometimes HSV is active but you do not have any blisters. The effects of HSV vary greatly from person to person. Your symptoms may go away in a few days or weeks. You may have only one attack after your initial infection in childhood. However, you may have a recurrence whenever your immune system is weakened or for unknown reasons.

Because type 1 herpes simplex virus is so common, you probably cannot prevent your first infection. Many cases are so mild that you may not know you have been exposed to HSV. Later in life, you may be able to prevent attacks by maintaining general good health and keeping stress in your life at a moderate level.

Your doctor may take a sample of cells from your eye surface to check for HSV if the diagnosis is unclear. The treatment differs somewhat depending on whether you have epithelial keratitis the milder form or stromal keratitis the more damaging form.

If you promptly take antiviral medication, it can help minimize cornea damage and vision loss. Your doctor will recommend antiviral eye drops or ointment or oral antiviral drugs. A common treatment is the oral medication acyclovir Zovirax. Your doctor may also gently brush the surface of your cornea with a cotton swab after applying numbing drops to remove diseased cells. This procedure is known as debridement.

This type of HSV attacks the deeper middle layers of the cornea, called the stroma. Stromal keratitis is more likely to result in corneal scarring and loss of vision.

In addition to antiviral therapy, taking steroid anti-inflammatory eye drops helps reduce swelling in the stroma. After a first bout of eye herpes, about 20 percent of people will have an additional outbreak in the following year. After multiple recurrences, your doctor may recommend taking antiviral medication daily. If the cornea is damaged enough to cause significant vision loss, you may need a corneal transplant keratoplasty.

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Follow these tips to keep your eyes healthy while wearing contact lenses. Your daily habits, your contact lenses and supplies, and your eye doctor are all important. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Healthy Contact Lens Wear and Care. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. What are the symptoms of HSV keratitis?

Symptoms of HSV keratitis include 2 : Eye pain Eye redness Blurred vision Sensitivity to light Watery discharge If you experience any of these symptoms, remove your contact lenses if you wear them and call your eye doctor right away.

Where is HSV found? What puts people at risk for HSV keratitis? How is HSV keratitis diagnosed? How is HSV keratitis treated? How do you prevent HSV keratitis? Currently there are no proven methods for preventing HSV keratitis, but some steps available from the Mayo Clinic external icon may help to control HSV keratitis recurrences: Avoid touching your eyes or the area around your eyes unless you have washed your hands properly—especially if you have a cold sore or herpes blister.

Only use eye drops that have been prescribed or recommended by an eye doctor or health care provider 8. Liesegang TJ. Herpes simplex virus epidemiology and ocular importance external icon.