What Is The Outlook
If you have a particularly severe case of shingles, it could take months to go away. It can also become a long-term problem for some people. If you have postherpetic neuralgia, you may need to see your doctor more often.
Complications that involve the eye or ear may require ongoing care, especially if you have lingering vision or hearing problems.
Most people have shingles only once, but it can recur. This is more likely to happen if you have a weakened immune system.
If you havent had any major complications, your symptoms should clear up within a matter of weeks with few, if any, lasting effects.
Shingles In Eye Early Symptoms
The early signs of shingles in eye, on face or other parts of the body, is pain which is often followed by a rash that develops into itchy blisters. In its early stages, the symptoms of shingles will often resemble those of chicken pox.
Around the eyes, the early signs of shingles will include pain and a feeling of burning. In most of the cases, the pain is often felt on one side of the body.
What follows is the appearance of painful, fluid filled blisters. For most people, these bumps turn yellowish, they may flatten and eventually dry out. If the blisters were appearing around eyes, scabs may then form leaving slight scarring.
Shingles in eye can also cause constant dull or burning sensation. The pain may vary from mild to severe. Some people may also experience a stabbing pain from time to time. The skin around the eyes where shingles rash occurs may feel tender.
These are some of the symptoms that might be shown by shingles. There are however some earlier signs that might appear before the itchy, painful rash. Before the rash appears, most people will often complain of the following:
- Mild to a severe headache
- Itching, tingling, and burning sensation around eye
- Fever especially in children
- Swollen eyelids, retina and cornea
Incidence And Pathophysiology Of Herpes Zoster
Herpes zoster is a commonly seen disorder one fifth of the population will present with the disease during their lifetime. The reported incidence varies from 2.2 per 1000 to 3.4/1000 people per year. Herpes zoster develops mainly in elderly people: its incidence in people aged over 80 is about 10 in 1000/year.1,2 It is caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus . In temperate climates, primary infection with this virus usually occurs before the age of 10 and manifests itself clinically as chickenpox . The virus then becomes latent, nestling in the sensory ganglia. Later it may become active again, spread to the corresponding dermatome by means of a spinal or cerebral nerve , and generate the characteristic unilateral vesicular exanthema. The accompanying inflammation of the sensory nerve and skin damage are supposedly responsible for the acute pain.3 Reactivation of the virus is linked to a diminished virus specific and cell mediated immunity, which is related to age. Immunocompromised patients also run an increased risk of developing herpes zoster . In contrast to other herpes infections, recurrence of herpes zoster is relatively rare .1 Since it has not yet been proved that herpes zoster is provoked by any serious underlying pathological condition ,4 a search for possible risk factors is not warranted in otherwise healthy patients in whom herpes zoster develops.
Summary points
You May Like: Are Shingles Brought On By Stress
Don’t Miss: Gaf 3 Tab Shingle Colors
How Shingles Can Get Into The Eyes
After the symptoms of chickenpox have cleared up, the virus lies dormant in the body. More specifically, the virus remains in the nerves. At any time, the virus can reactivate and cause shingles to develop.
When the virus reactivates in a nerve called the trigeminal nerve, it can cause shingles of the eye. The trigeminal nerve carries signals between the brain and several areas of the face, including the eye.
You May Like: What Prescription Cream Is Used For Shingles
Who’s At Risk For Shingles
Anyone who has ever had chickenpox can get shingles, but the risk increases with age. People older than age 60 are up to 10 times more likely to get shingles than younger people. Other factors that increase your risk include:
- Some cancer medicines
- A weak immune system from illnesses such as cancer or HIV
A quarter of adults will develop shingles at some point, and most are otherwise healthy.
You May Like: How Do You Feel When You Have Shingles
What Causes Eye Shingles
Before we take a closer look at shingles affecting the eye , lets talk about what causes shingles in the first place: the chickenpox virus.
As an adult, you may have a hazy memory of spending a week in bed, your itchy body dotted in pink calamine lotion as you binged on daytime TV and ate popsicles by the box.
The blisters may be long gone, but the chickenpox virus still lies dormant in your body.
About one in three U.S. adults will get shingles when the varicella-zoster virus that sparked their childhood chickenpox reactivates in the body, according to Mayo Clinic.
Shingles typically starts out as a band of tenderness or tingling on your skin and then turns into a painful rash.
People will tell you, It was the worst pain I ever had, Rapuano says.
SEE RELATED:Ramsay Hunt syndrome
Shingles In Eyes Pictures
With shingles in eye, most people will have a blistering rash form on eyelids, forehead and in some cases on the tip and side of the nose. The rash can appear the same time as the blister or after the blisters have gone away.
Shingles will often be accompanied by other symptoms such as redness around eye, watery eyes, and in some cases blurry vision. Here are some pictures of how eye shingles will look like.
Don’t Miss: Is There Different Types Of Shingles
Mayo Clinic Minute: What Are Eye Shingles
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus the same virus that causes chickenpox. If youve had chickenpox, the virus can lie dormant in your bodys nerve tissue for years when suddenly its triggered by stress or a weakened immune system, and manifests as shingles. A new shingles vaccine called Shingrix is recommended for anyone over 50. It helps prevent the disease and reduces the severity of symptoms.
Ophthalmic shingles is one particular version of the disease that can have some serious side effects that ultimately can cause permanent damage to your vision.
Journalists: Broadcast-quality video is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network. Read the script.
Youre probably familiar with shingles, a viral infection that causes a painful rash usually on the bodys torso. But did you know that shingles also can affect the eye?
Shingles around the eye typically involves the skin of the forehead and the skin of the upper lid. It can also involve the side of the nose or the tip of the nose, says Dr. Keith Baratz, a Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist.
The virus lies dormant for years, but, when triggered by stress or a weakened immune system, it travels along nerve pathways to the skin and usually affects only one side of the face.
You can almost draw a line right down the middle of the forehead when you get the rash, says Dr. Baratz.
How Do You Diagnose It
Your doctor can almost always diagnose shingles simply by examining the rash and listening to your symptoms. Because of its unique placement only on one side and its common occurrence, many doctors recognize it on sight.
When you have shingles on your eye, your doctor will examine different parts of your eye and surrounding areas, including:
They will also examine you for shingles on other areas of your body and look for swelling or other problems that often accompany the condition. They may also test your vision to determine the effects of the rash on your eye.
If your doctor does not feel satisfied with a physical exam, they may take a fluid sample from the blisters to test for the shingles virus.
You May Like: Is The Shingles Shot Covered By Insurance
Don’t Miss: Is There A Natural Cure For Shingles
How Is Shingles In The Eye Diagnosed
Your ophthalmologist will be able to diagnose shingles in the eye just by looking at the rash on your eyelids and surrounding areas. They might take a sample of the blister fluid to examine for the varicella-zoster virus.
They will also examine your cornea, retina, lens and other parts of your eye, looking for swelling and damage that may have been caused as a result of the virus.
Symptoms Of Shingles In The Eye
When you have shingles in the eye, the blistering rash will form on your eyelids, forehead, and possibly on the tip or side of your nose. This rash might show up at the same time as the skin rash, or weeks after the skin blisters have gone away. Some people only have symptoms in their eye.
Along with the rash, you might have:
- burning or throbbing pain in your eye
- redness around and in the eye
You might also have swelling in parts of your eye, such as:
- your retina, which is the light-sensitive layer in the back of your eye
- your cornea, which is the clear layer in the front of your eye
If you have one or more of these symptoms, call your primary care doctor or an eye doctor for an appointment. The sooner you get treatment, the less likely it is that youll have long-term complications.
Also Check: What Are The Home Remedies For Shingles
What Are Symptoms Of Shingles In The Eye
Shingle symptoms include a blistering rash on the eyelids, forehead and possibly the tip or side of the nose. It may accompany a skin rash or show up weeks after the blistering skin rash disappears. Some may only experience ocular shingles without a shingles rash on the skin. However, it usually occurs in one eye on the side of the face with the rash. It usually follows once the shingles body rash has gone.
Other symptoms of shingles include:
- Burning sensation in the eye
- Throbbing pain in the eye
- Redness in and around the eye
- Light sensitivity
- Swelling on your eyelid, retina or cornea
If you experience one or more of the symptoms above, you should call your eye care professional and book an optical appointment. The sooner you treat these symptoms, the less likely you are to have long-term complications.
How Is Shingles Diagnosed
If you have symptoms of shingles, especially if they involve your face, see your doctor or ophthalmologist right away.
Doctors can usually diagnose a shingles rash by performing a physical exam. Your doctor can also take a scraping of your skin rash and send it to a lab for examination under a microscope.
Its particularly important to seek treatment if you have a compromised immune system. Early treatment can help cut down on your chances for serious complications.
Shingles will have to run its course, but quite a few treatment options are available. These include:
- antiviral drugs
Also Check: Does Medicare Cover The Shingrix Shingles Vaccine
Can Eye Shingles Cause Blindness
Even with proper treatment, some eye shingles patients still develop eye disorders such as corneal scarring, glaucoma or retinal disease.
For example, eye shingles can cause:
-
A corneal dendrite which may lead to a scar
In the most severe cases of eye shingles, a patient may need a corneal transplant.
Eye shingles is not contagious. It cannot be spread to another person.
However, a person who has shingles-related rash anywhere on their body can transmit chickenpox virus to someone who hasnt already had chickenpox or been vaccinated for the condition.
Shingles In The Front Of The Eye
Shingles can affect the cornea, the curved, transparent dome of tissue at the front of the eye. This is called keratitis, and it can occur as a complication of herpes zoster ophthalmicus , which refers to shingles with a rash that typically involves one side of the upper face, forehead, and scalp. More than half of patients with HZO may have keratitis.
If you have shingles involving the upper face, forehead, or scalp area, it is important to see an ophthalmologist for a formal eye examination, whether or not you notice any eye symptoms. Keratitis usually develops within one month of the shingles rash and can lead to numbness of the cornea, scarring, additional infections, and more corneal damage, which can ultimately cause blindness.
HZO, like episodes of shingles on other areas of the body, is typically treated with oral antiviral medications to address the underlying viral infection. Treatment decreases the risk of later eye complications by about 40% to 60%. When started within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms, antiviral treatment also reduces the overall severity of the infection and the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia, a form of long-term pain that can occur after an episode of shingles.
Also Check: Should I Get Shingles Vaccine If I Already Had Shingles
Home Care For Shingles
Colloidal oatmeal baths are an old standby for relieving the itch of chickenpox and can help with shingles, as well. To speed up the drying out of the blisters, try placing a cool, damp washcloth on the rash If your doctor gives you the green light, stay active while recovering from shingles. Gentle exercise or a favorite activity may help keep your mind off the discomfort.
What Are The Symptoms Of Shingles In The Eye
When it comes to eye shingles, there is a difference between shingles appearing in the eye versus around the eye. When you have shingles in your eye, you may see them on your sclera .
Shingles in your eye present a higher risk, as it can cause vision problems, including sight loss, even after healing. When the rash appears around your eye, but not in it, doctors refer to it as eye involvement.
Regardless of where it appears, symptoms of shingles typically occur only on one side of the body. That means that even if you have a painful rash in or around one eye, the virus will probably not spread to the other side of your face.
Eye shingles can cause the following symptoms:
- Facial tingling
- Red blisters or a rash on the face
- Eyelid swelling and redness
- Sensitivity to light
You may also experience more generalized shingles symptoms too, including headache, low-grade fever, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms. Shingles typically start as nerve pain, and you will notice the red rash later on the painful areas.
If you initially get shingles elsewhere on your body, they can spread to your face, even after you begin recovering.
Also Check: How To Treat Shingles Without Rash
Shingles In Eye Without Rash
The pain, itching, and irritation of shingles may develop even without rash. Though primarily a painful rash is the most visible sign of shingles, shingles in eye may occur without rash in some people.
Before the rash, you may notice other symptoms such as burning pain and sensitive skin around eye. You are also like to experience itching, tingling in eye, constant aching and in some cases deep shooting pain inside your eye. Some people may experience fever, chills and stomach upset.
When a painful rash is the characteristic of shingles, the rash will often start as small painful fluid filled blisters. With eyes shingles, the blisters will continue to form for 2 to 4 days. The blisters may appear along the eyelids or spread to the tip and sides of the nose.
Similar to the rash and painful blister formed by chicken pox, the blister eventually burst and start to ooze. They will then crust over and heal. At this stage, the virus is very contagious. It can easily be spread to those not vaccinated or immune to the virus
Shingles without can be hard to diagnoses. Early medical diagnosis and treatment is required in such cases to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. Early treatment may also help reduce the risk of complication associated with varicella virus.
What Causes Shingles In The Eye
The varicella-zoster virus, the virus that causes chickenpox, lives in the nerves of people who have previously had chickenpox. It becomes herpes zoster ophthalmicus when it reaches the eye, and it can cause severe pain along with the notorious rash that accompanies shingles on other areas of the body.
The shingles virus does not always activate in people who have had chickenpox. When it does, the shingles rash most often appears along the back, ribs, and chest areas. Occasionally, it will show up in other areas, like the face or legs.
According to experts, the resulting weakened immune systems and stress have caused increased shingles cases, tripling them from 2004 to 2016. You cannot predict whether you will have eye shingles since the virus can travel over your body and appear in different areas.
Read Also: How Long Can A Shingles Outbreak Last
Treatment Of Shingles In The Eye
Treatment with antiviral medication is most commonly used by doctors when shingles affect the eyes. It can come in a liquid or tablet form and should be taken as soon as possible and within 72 hours of the skin rash breaking out.
Antiviral medication may treat shingles by:
- Preventing the virus from spreading
- Helping the blisters heal
- Speeding up the fading of the rash
If one has a weakened immune system, they may be admitted to the hospital for intravenous antiviral medication.
Shingles in the eye can also be managed with topical eye drops to reduce swelling. There are two main types of topical eye drops for shingles:
It is best to prevent shingles in the first place by getting the shingles vaccine. This is available on the NHS to people in their 70s.