What Causes Shingles In The Eyes

The varicella zoster virus is the one that causes chickenpox and shingles.

What causes shingles in the eyes.

However shingles in the eye can cause serious complications such as. Shingles in the eye can cause scarring. Uveitis an internal inflammation of the eye glaucoma due to uncontrolled uveitis blindness in extreme cases. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus the same virus that causes chickenpox.

Glaucoma corneal ulcers scarring acute retinal necrosis a severe disease that can cause blindness. Shingles of the eyes occurs when the virus is reactivated in the body when the body suffers an attack on the immune system and it becomes compromised. Of people with shingles the rash appears in and around the eye. Shingles of the eye has its own name.

A corneal dendrite which may lead to a scar. This type of shingles is called ophthalmic herpes zoster or herpes zoster ophthalmicus. It stays dormant in sensory nerve roots and in about one third of us reactivates later in life as shingles. Although the shingles rash will most commonly appear on the torso it s possible for it to affect your eyes as well.

While it isn t a life threatening condition shingles can be very painful. For example eye shingles can cause. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus hzo. Herpes simplex type 1 or hsv1 which causes cold.

A weakened immune system means the virus wherever it is in the body can now actively multiply and increase in number. Without treatment it can lead to pain in your eyes but also to permanent loss of vision. After you recover from chickenpox the. When it affects your eye it s called herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

Eye problems if you have shingles in or near your eyes forehead or nose see your doctor right away. Years later the virus may reactivate as shingles. You can only get shingles if you ve had chickenpox. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus which first enters the body as chickenpox which nearly every adult over 40 had as a child and never leaves.