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Boothe Eye Care & Laser Center
3900 West 15th Street
Suite 104
Plano, Texas 75075
(214) 328-0444
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Caused by the type 1 herpes simplex virus, eye herpes (ocular herpes) is a common, recurrent viral infection affecting the eyes. This type of herpes virus can cause inflammation and scarring of the cornea that sometimes is referred to as a cold sore on the eye. Herpes of the eye can be transmitted through close contact with an infected person whose virus is active.

An estimated 400,000 Americans have experienced some form of ocular herpes, with close to 50,000 new and recurring cases occurring each year.

Forms of Eye Herpes
Ranging from a simple infection to a condition that can possibly cause blindness, there are several forms of eye herpes:

Herpes keratitis is the most common form of eye herpes and is a viral corneal infection. Ocular herpes in this form generally affects only the top layer, or the epithelium, of the cornea, and usually heals without scarring.
 
Stromal keratitis occurs when the infection goes deeper into the layers of the cornea. This can lead to scarring, loss of vision and, occasionally, blindness. Stromal keratitis is thought to be caused by a late immune response to the original infection. Although the condition is rare, the National Eye Institute reports that stromal keratitis is the leading cause of corneal scarring that subsequently causes blindness in the United States.
 

Iridocyclitis is serious form of eye herpes where the iris and surrounding tissues inside the eye become inflamed, causing severe sensitivity to light, blurred vision, pain and redness. Iridocyclitis is a type of uveitis that affects the more anterior portions of the inside of the eye. The herpes virus can affect the more posterior or deeper tissues in the eye. [Read more about uveitis.]
When this infection occurs in the retina or the inside lining of the back of the eye, it is known as herpes retinitis.

Eye Herpes Symptoms and Signs
Various signs and symptoms can be associated with an ocular herpes outbreak. You may experience inflammation of the cornea, which can cause an irritation or sudden and severe ocular pain. Also, the cornea can become cloudy, leading to blurry vision.

Other characteristics of eye herpes include the following:

swelling around the eyes
tearing
recurrent eye infections
irritation
foreign body sensation
eye redness
eye sores
watery discharge
sensitivity to light
Due to these numerous symptoms, your eye doctor may overlook an initial diagnosis of ocular herpes in its very early stages.

What Causes Eye Herpes?
Eye herpes is transmitted through contact with another person who is having an outbreak or self contact and contamination during an active herpes infection (e.g., cold sore of the lip). The herpes simplex virus initially enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels into the nerves, where it may be inactive. The virus can remain dormant for years and may never wake up. The exact cause of an outbreak is unknown, but stress-related factors such as fever, sunburn, major dental or surgical procedures and trauma are often associated with incidents.

Once the initial outbreak occurs, eye herpes has about a 40-50 percent chance of returning. There is no specific time frame for ocular herpes to reappear; it could be several weeks or even several years following the original occurrence. Although symptoms usually present themselves in only one eye, the virus possibly could affect the other eye as well.

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