Dr. Wu Peilun of the Ophthalmology Department of Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital said that a 55-year-old woman surnamed Lin recently came to the eye clinic for treatment because her left eye was red and had a foreign body sensation. At first, she thought she was suffering fro

▲A woman thought it was conjunctivitis at first, but 3-4 days later, swollen and painful red rashes and blisters appeared, and her vision was even blurred. (Schematic diagram/Provided by Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital)

Reporter Jian Zhonghao/Comprehensive Report

While the COVID-19 epidemic is tightening and people are exhausted physically and mentally, the herpes virus is ready to move in the body. Dr. Wu Peilun of the Ophthalmology Department of Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital said that a 55-year-old woman surnamed Lin recently came to the eye clinic for treatment because her left eye was red and had a foreign body sensation. At first, she thought she was suffering from conjunctivitis due to heavy grassroots epidemic prevention work and lack of sleep. However, three days later, A swollen and painful red rash and blisters appeared on the skin around the left eye. Not only did the left eye experience a burning and stinging sensation, but the vision was also blurred. The doctor diagnosed it as herpes zoster.

Wu Peilun said that after the woman surnamed Lin received a week of antiviral drug treatment, her symptoms gradually improved, but fortunately her vision was not affected. He pointed out that herpes zoster is commonly known as "skin snake" and is easy to be ignored due to the variable initial symptoms. In addition, the older generation has a myth that it will be fatal after the skin snake circles along the nerve distribution, so it is easy to seek the wrong treatment. . In fact, herpes zoster and chickenpox are caused by the same virus. After the initial infection, the virus will lie dormant in the ganglion . When immunity declines, the reactivated virus will grow clusters along the distribution of nerve-controlled dermatomes. Painful blisters and rash.

"Before the blisters appear on the skin, there will be unexplained tingling and numbness." Wu Peilun said that this is the pain caused by nerve inflammation. Even if the blisters disappear, it can still last for more than three months. It is post-herpetic neuralgia. . Dr. Wu Peilun pointed out that although the nerves are distributed bilaterally, each side controls one side, so herpes zoster will only infect one side of the nerves and will almost never circle around. Herpes zoster may appear in any part of the body. If it appears on the forehead, scalp, eyelids or nose, it will affect our eyes because the virus has invaded the first branch of the facial trigeminal nerve (ocular branch nerve). The older you are, especially those over 60 years old, the higher the incidence rate due to reduced immune function.

▲Once the eyes are infected by the virus, it can range from headache to severe acute retinal necrosis, leaving sequelae of impaired vision. (Photo / Provided by Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital)

Wu Peilun pointed out that once the eyes are infected by the virus, mild symptoms such as headache, conjunctivitis, keratitis , iritis, etc. may occur, while severe cases may include corneal ulceration, corneal opacification, optic neuritis. , oculomotor nerve palsy, glaucoma, , acute retinal necrosis, leaving sequelae of visual impairment, which can lead to blindness in the most severe cases.

Wu Peilun suggested that if you find blisters around your eyes, you must seek an ophthalmologist as soon as possible for further examination. Treatment is to suppress the virus, take care of pustular wounds, and relieve pain. The golden period of taking antiviral drugs is within three days of the rash, which can reduce the number of rashes and reduce pain. During treatment, antibiotic ointment can be applied to the affected skin area, but the blisters must not be popped to avoid secondary infection. You can also wear loose clothes to avoid rubbing the blisters and causing pain.

Wu Peilun also reminded the public that if the pain invades the eyes, local anti-inflammatory and antiviral drugs must be given depending on the condition. Sometimes anti-glaucoma and intraocular pressure-lowering drugs must be added to prevent vision loss caused by glaucoma. In addition to adequate rest, hydration and nutritional supplements can also help improve immunity.