Eye Herpes Symptoms, Types, Causes & Treatment

Eye Herpes

Herpes simplex virus causes Eye Herpes infection. Commonly known as herpes keratitis or ocular herpes, Eye Herpes is a common and recurrent viral infection affecting eyes. This virus causes scarring and inflammation of the cornea, sometimes called a cold sore on the eye. The herpes virus is easily transmittable through the contact with an infected patient suffering from this disease. The herpes virus causes redness of the eye that spreads from surface layers to the other deeper parts of cornea and may cause severe complications if left untreated.

According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), approximately 400,000 Americans suffers from different types of ocular herpes and about 50,000 recurring and new cases of herpes infection occurs every year.

Signs and Symptoms Of Eye Herpes

There are several signs and symptoms related to the outbreak ofEye Herpes infection. Patients suffering from this infection experience inflammation and redness of the cornea responsible for causing irritation and severe eye pain. Moreover, cornea becomes cloudy causing blurry vision. Following are the symptoms of this eye infection:

• Recurrent eye infections
• Foreign body sensation
• Eye sores
• Swelling around the eyes
• Tearing
• Eye redness
• Watery discharge
• Sensitivity to light
• Irritation
• Headache
• tiredness
• general pain and aches

An ophthalmologist examines the eye with a magnifier. He may also put stain on the front part of the eye in order to have a look at the irregular areas of the cornea. In this condition, a patient develops an ulcer on the cornea. ‘Dendritic’ ulcer is one of the most common ulcers. It means many fingered. Like a tree, this ulcer has a smooth edge with various fingered like branches.

Type of Eye Herpes

This type of eye infection varies from a simple eye infection to a condition that may cause blindness:

Stromal keratitis

This condition occurs when the infection settles into the deeper layers of cornea. This infection leads to loss of vision, scarring, and even blindness. Although, it is one of the rarest eye infection but according to NEI, it is one of the leading causes of corneal scarring.

Herpes keratitis

It is one of the most common viral corneal eye herpes infections. In this condition, ocular herpes affects the top layer of the cornea and generally cures without scarring.

Iridocyclitis

The iris and adjoining tissues inside the eye becomes inflamed in this type of serious eye condition. It causes blurred vision, sensitivity to light, redness and pain. It affects the frontal portions of the eye

Causes of Eye Herpes

This virus spreads after coming in contact with an infected patient or through self-contact. This virus enters human body through the mouth or nose and travels to the nerves. Once reached nerves, it may remain inactive for years. The exact reason for herpes outbreak is unknown but it is associated with factors like sunburn, fever, trauma and major dental procedures.

Eye Herpes Treatment

The treatment for this infection depends where this infection is located in the eyes – in the iris, corneal epithelium, retina; corneal stroma etc. if in case, the ocular infection is external than doctors treat it by using anti viral ointments or eye drops or antiviral pills. At times, he may treat the eye infection by scuffing the infected corneal epithelial cells with a corneal spatula instrument or cotton swab.

Steroid drops decrease the infection and thwart the corneal scarring when the eye infection develops into the deeper corneal layers.