Herpes in front of the eyes indicates a weakening of the immune system

Everyone remembers the unpleasant rashes of herpes vesicles that affect the lips and face, and sometimes other parts of the body. But a special place is occupied by herpes in the eyes, from which they can & nbsp; suffer eyelids, cornea, conjunctiva, retina, optic nerve and other departments. Experts note the frequent manifestation of herpes in the eyes during the off-season against the background of influenza and some other respiratory diseases and associate this phenomenon with a weakening of the body's defenses. A particular danger of herpes in the eyes is the possible complications leading to weakening or even loss of vision.

How does herpes develop before the eyes and what are its manifestations

As you know, the herpes virus has many ways of spreading and penetrating the body, after which it spreads by the hematogenous route, enters various tissues and organs, including the conjunctiva, cornea, lacrimal gland. The herpes virus has a tropism for the nervous tissue, for a long time it can be in the nerve ganglia in an inactive state. The virus is often activated due to the weakening of the body's defenses against the background of respiratory diseases, influenza, and also becomes a local manifestation of aphthous & nbsp; stomatitis, facial herpes, blepharoconjunctivitis and some other diseases.

The first symptoms of developing herpes in the eyes are usually associated with involvement in the inflammatory process of the trigeminal nerve – and specifically its first branch. This inflamed branch causes the development of pain on one side of the face – mainly in the area of ​​​​the eyebrow and upper eyelid. If the second branch of the nerve is affected – the lower eyelid is also inflamed.

The first symptoms of developing herpes in the eyes are usually feelings of malaise, low temperature, redness and a feeling of tightness of the skin in the upper third of the face. Then characteristic herpetic & nbsp; vesicles, the contents of which are first transparent, and then become cloudy. Bursting blisters are covered with crusts, can leave behind scars if they are combed.

Herpes in front of the eyes is accompanied by an increase and soreness of regional lymph nodes. Characteristic rashes may also appear in the inner corner & nbsp; eyes, and on the cornea. The patient is worried about severe itching of the affected skin. Characteristically, herpes of the eye almost always affects one side of the face.

More complex manifestations of herpes in the eyes take the following forms:

• herpetic conjunctivitis – may develop sluggishly and violently, vesicles appear on the eyelids, on the wings of the nose, on the conjunctiva, but without scarring on the mucous membrane;
• herpetic keratitis – has a more severe course and a tendency to relapse, is expressed by a sharp decrease in the sensitivity of the cornea, the bubbles pour out along the nerve trunks and tend to merge, ulcerate, the iris, corneal stroma may be involved in the process;
• stromal keratitis – affects the vascular tract, reduces the sensitivity of the cornea, causes serofibrinous iridocyclitis, hyperemia of the iris, increased intraocular pressure;
• herpetic keratouveitis – it is characterized by infiltrates and ulcerations in the cornea, newly formed vessels in the iris, erosion of the epithelium, with a long course, corneal vascularization is likely;
• herpetic iridocyclitis – causes extensive posterior synechia, strands in the vitreous body, provokes a complicated cataract, threatens with a strong deterioration in visual acuity.

Herpes  the eyes are often accompanied by lymphadenitis, it is possible to attach a secondary bacterial infection.

Principles of treatment and prognosis of herpes in the eyes

Therapy of herpes on the eyes is usually carried out jointly by a dermatologist and an ophthalmologist. The affected skin of the eyelids and face is treated with acyclovir ointment; a brilliant green solution can be used to dry the inflamed elements.  Antiviral, antiseptic anti-inflammatory drugs are dripped into the conjunctival sac, if necessary – antibacterial drugs.

Treatment is long-term, over several weeks. If complications of herpes in the eyes are not amenable to drug therapy and threaten with loss of vision, surgical treatment is performed – laser coagulation, vitrectomy. In parallel, vitamins and other drugs are prescribed that strengthen the body's defenses.