1/6What are Shingles in the eye?
2. Redness & itchiness - The inside of the eyes or the area around the eye
turns red in color along with the burning sensation and pain which results in
continuous itching
3. Watery Eyes- Due to feeling of itchiness and burning sensation, Patients
often get water in their eyes when diagnosed with Shingles.
4. Irritation in the eye- patients feel constant irritation in the eyes which
doesn’t easily go away even after washing the face and as a result they start
rubbing it and irritation increases.
5. Blurry Vision- If a patient has Keratitis (Shingles in the front region of
the eye), it can lead to numbness of the cornea which can lead to blurred
vision or even blindness in extreme cases.
6. Sensitivity to light- The eyes become extremely sensitive to light, it can
be when the patient goes out in the sun or watches a well-lit-up screen.
A person can also experience swelling in parts of the eye including the eyelid,
retina, and cornea.
Shingles are characterized by a painful,
blistering rash that develops across the body and, in some cases, the face. The
condition is brought on by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes
chickenpox. After getting diagnosed with chickenpox, the virus can stay inside
the human body and re-emerge decades later as shingles.
02/6Here’s what the expert says:
Prof. Dr. Mahipal Singh Sachdev, Chairman and
Managing Director, Centre for Sight says, “While it is unpleasant and
uncomfortable to experience shingles anywhere on the body, shingles in the eye
can be one of the worst experiences for anyone. The type of shingles that
happens in and around the eye is called herpes zoster keratitis and herpes
zoster Ophthalmicus.”
According to Dr. Sachdev, With shingles in the
eye, there is a greater risk because it might linger and affect the vision of
the patient. The most common symptom is rash while some other symptoms of
Shingles in the eye include:
03/6Signs and Symptoms of Shingles in the Eye
1. Burning sensation or pain in the eye-
Patients often feel a burning sensation in their eyes or pain around the area
of the eye when they get shingles or about to get shingles
04/6Causes of Shingles in the Eye
Shingles is caused by the same virus that
causes chickenpox. The disease can affect anyone who has been affected by
chickenpox in their life. The virus becomes dormant inside the body and
reappears years later in the form of shingles, causing pain and rash on the
skin. People who have never had varicella-zoster virus exposure or who have
never had chickenpox are likely to be safe from shingles. The typical location
of shingles rash is on the back, ribs, and chest along with other places like
the face and legs.
05/6Treatment options for Shingles
“Shingles are treated through antiviral medications
as they stop the virus from spreading while relieving the pain of the patient
and helping in healing the blisters. The swelling is managed by eye drops or
steroid medicines. In case the patient develops postherpetic neuralgia, pain
medicine, and antidepressants are given to help relieve the nerve pain,” says
Dr. Sachdev.
06/6Prevention
Shingles can be prevented by immunizing self with the Shingles vaccine. Herpes zoster can also be prevented from re-emerging with the help of this vaccination, and even if one gets this disease, the symptoms aren’t that severe.After getting Shingles, It is advised to stay away from individuals, particularly those who haven’t had chickenpox or are pregnant, or have a weak immune system. It is also advised to avoid touching the eye and cover the rash in order to prevent the infection from spreading.
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