Shingles On The Eyelid Pictures

Urgent Advice: Get Advice From 111 As Soon As You Suspect Shingles

You might need medicine to help speed up your recovery and avoid longer-lasting problems.

This works best if taken within 3 days of your symptoms starting.

111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

Go to 111.nhs.uk or .

Get an urgent GP appointment

A GP may be able to treat you.

Ask your GP surgery for an urgent appointment.

Symptoms Of Eye Shingles

The symptoms of shingles around the eye may be different from the symptoms of eye involvement. Symptoms of shingles around the eye area may include:

• Tingling on the face

• Shorten the length of a shingles outbreak

• Make shingles less painful

• Reduce chances of persistent nerve pain after the rash resolves

In addition to these overall benefits, prompt treatment of eye shingles with antiviral medication can significantly reduce the risk of vision loss.

Without antiviral medication, 50% of ocular shingles patients will develop eye disorders compared with only 25% of patients who take the medication.

Its crucial to begin taking antiviral medication within 72 hours of the outbreak of the skin rash. It should be started as soon as possible after the rash starts, Rapuano says.

If your doctor diagnoses eye involvement with your case of ocular or facial shingles, you may also need topical eye drops. There are two main types of eye drops for shingles:

• Corticosteroid eye drops Steroid drops can reduce the eye inflammation caused by shingles, Rapuano says. This lowers the chances of complications from shingles of the eye.

• Pupil dilating eye drops Your eye doctor also may prescribe eye drops to keep the pupils open for pain relief due to an internal ocular inflammation caused by shingles.

How Do You Get Shingles In The Eye

Eye shingles, also called herpes zoster ophthalmicus or ophthalmic herpes zoster, is a painful rash in or around the eye. It also occurs in other areas, such as the face, forehead, and scalp.1

You may get shingles in the eye if youve previously contracted chickenpox, and the virus that causes it reactivates years later.2 Those vaccinated against chickenpox may also develop eye shingles later in life, although the risk is low.

Chickenpox is characterized by highly contagious fluid-filled blisters that spread all over the body and face. The symptoms last about 4 to 7 days.

After you recover from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in the nervous system. However, it may reactivate in the trigeminal nerve years later, causing shingles in the eyes.

Ocular shingles are not contagious, but the virus can spread to another person who has never had chickenpox or been vaccinated against it. This can only happen if they come into contact with active blisters from another person. In this case, they will develop chickenpox and not shingles.

Read Also: How To Treat Shingles Without Rash

Is There A Connection

Theres currently no evidence to clear up the question of whether having COVID-19 or getting vaccinated against the coronavirus that causes it increases your risk for developing shingles in any statistically significant way.

But it seems clear that neither the virus nor the vaccines can cause a shingles outbreak since shingles is caused by a different virus entirely.

To better understand the relationship between the two, lets look at some details about the herpes zoster virus and SARS-CoV-2, responsible for shingles and COVID-19, respectively, as well as what the research currently suggests about the link between the two conditions.

Read Also: Will Calamine Lotion Help 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.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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.

Read Also: Can Shingles Flare Up Again

Postherpetic Neuralgia And Other Neurologic Complications

Postherpetic neuralgia affects about 7 percent of patients and is characterized by varying degrees of constant or intermittent pain in the distribution of the affected dermatome.17 Increased age and prodromal symptoms are associated with a higher prevalence of post-herpetic neuralgia. It generally improves with time but may last for months to years. In severe cases, patients may be depressed and suicidal. Treatment includes topical capsaicin cream, over-the-counter analgesics, tricyclic antidepressants, and anticonvulsants.18

Cranial nerve palsies involving the third , fourth, and sixth nerves may occur rarely . A majority of the cases will have spontaneous resolution within six months. Optic neuritis has been noted in about one in 400 cases and may precede retinal disease or follow acute herpes zoster ophthalmicus infection .17,19,20

The rightsholder did not grant rights to reproduce this item in electronic media. For the missing item, see the original print version of this publication.

What Is Herpes Zoster Of The Eye

Herpes zoster, commonly known as “shingles,” is a viral disease that causes a painful skin rash consisting of small fluid-filled blisters that form scabs and can leave permanent scars. When it involves the region that surrounds your eye, it is called herpes zoster ophthalmicus and can cause serious eye problems including corneal ulcers, inflammation, and glaucoma.

Don’t Miss: What Antiviral Drugs Are Used To Treat Shingles

Complications Of Shingles In The Eye

The shingles rash will fade after a few weeks, but the pain can continue for many more weeks or months. This complication is caused by nerve damage called postherpetic neuralgia, which is more common in older adults. In most people, the nerve pain will get better over time.

In the eye, swelling of the cornea may be severe enough to leave permanent scars. Shingles can also cause swelling of the retina. It can also increase eye pressure and lead to glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve. You can also develop an injury to the cornea.

Treating shingles in the eye right away can help you avoid long-term problems, including permanent vision loss.

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

Recommended Reading: Why Did I Get Shingles

Treatments For Shingles In The Eye

There are a variety of different treatments for shingles in the eye. If your optician diagnoses eye involvement, you may also need topical eye drops. There are two main types of topical eye drops for shingles:

• Corticosteroid eye drops Steroid drops can reduce the eye inflammation caused by shingles, Rapuano says. This lowers the chances of complications from shingles of the eye.

• Pupil-dilating eye drops Your optician also may prescribe eye drops to keep the pupils open for pain relief due to an internal ocular inflammation caused by shingles.

Dont Miss: What Is The Going Rate For Installing Shingles

Diagnosis Of Shingles In The Eye

Your doctor should be able to diagnose shingles just by looking at the rash on your eyelids, scalp, and body. Your doctor might take a sample of fluid from the blisters and send it out to a lab to test for the varicella-zoster virus.

An eye doctor will examine:

• help the rash fade more quickly

Starting the medicine within three days after your rash appears can help you avoid long-term shingles complications.

To reduce swelling in your eye, your doctor might also give you a steroid medicine in the form of a pill or eye drops. If you develop postherpetic neuralgia, pain medicine and antidepressants can help relieve the nerve pain.

Recommended Reading: How To Cure Shingles In 3 Days

Who Should Not Get The Vaccine

Do not get the shingles vaccine if:

• You have a severe allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis, to any ingredient of a vaccine or to a previous dose of Shingrix
• You have shingles now.

• You are sick with an illness and a fever of 101°F or higher.

• You should also consider delaying the vaccine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Not enough is known about its safety for expectant and lactating women.
• You have had a negative test for varicella this would be uncommon for adults eligible for the vaccine, as most adults worldwide ages 50 and older have been exposed to the virus. You do not have to be tested before getting the vaccine.

You Cannot Get Shingles From Someone With Chickenpox

You cannot get shingles from someone with shingles or chickenpox.

But you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before.

When people get chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. It can be reactivated later and cause shingles if someone’s immune system is lowered.

This can be because of stress, certain conditions, or treatments like chemotherapy.

You May Like: Can Shingles Be Treated With Antibiotics

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.

Severe Shingles Rash That Require Special Attention

Shingles on the FACE , shingles in the EYE, or shingles in the EAR do require IMMEDIATE medical attention.

According to doctors at Mayo Clinic, if the shingles rash reaches your eye, it can cause eye infections that could lead to temporary or even permanent loss of vision. If you have a shingles rash that is on your eye, eyelid or forehead , you should go see a doctor as soon as possible.

If the shingles rash is in or on your ear, you could develop hearing or balance problems, and in rare instances, the virus might attack your brain or spinal cord. For these reasons, if you have developed a shingles rash in or around your ear , you should seek immediate medical attention.

Don’t Miss: Can Shingles Start On Your Leg

Are Shingles In Eyes Contagious

Shingles just like chicken pox is very contagious. Shingles rash can develop on any part of the body. Shingles in eye can easy be transmitted from one person to the other especially to those who have not suffered from chicken pox or have not been vaccinated against the virus.

Vaccination is the most recommended way of preventing the spread of this condition from one person the other. There are also other steps that must be taken to prevent the spread of the infection.

You will need to do the following:

• Avoid close physical contact with pregnant women and those with weak or compromised immunes system
• You need to ensure that the rash is always covered
• Avoid scratching
• See your health care provider as soon as possible

Shingles Rash In The Eyes

Ophthalmic shingles, or herpes zoster ophthalmicus , is when the shingles rash is in and/or around the eye. It is a severe variant that affects 20% of people with the infection.

If you develop a shingles rash near your eye, contact your healthcare provider right away.

lauraag / Getty Images

HZO usually appears within two to four weeks after a shingles rash starts. People who have a compromised immune system, such as those with HIV/AIDS, are at higher risk for developing this.

All parts of the eye can be affected. For example:

• You can develop blisters around the eye that may cause the eyelids and surrounding area to swell.
• The corneaâthe transparent part over the front of the eyeâcan be affected, causing calcification .
• Blood vessels in the eye could become more pronounced blood flow to the eye could be impacted.

To reduce your risk of long-term eye complications, contact your healthcare provider right away if you have a shingles rash on your face.

Also Check: Can You Get Shingles More Than Once

Diagnosis Of Shingles In Eyes

Most patients will probably see two different doctors when they begin to feel sick. They will most likely go see a general physician and an ophthalmologist. Both doctors should come to the same conclusion and seek to rectify and reduce the patients suffering. The easiest way to diagnose Herpes Zoster Opthalmicus is from a clinical examination which is ideally done by the ophthalmologist. Combing the assessment by the ophthalmologist, the physician can then make an overall conclusion and begin a course of treatment for the patient.

Most patients diagnosed with herpes of the eye, are older than 60 years of age.

If left unattended, this disease can have disastrous consequences. A strong and aggressive treatment must begin as soon as the patient is diagnosed with herpes of the eye or they might risk going blind.

Can You Go Blind With Shingles

Yes, shingles can cause blindness. Shingles may cause inflammation at the front or back of the eye .4

Shingles may also cause viral retinitis if the inflammation occurs at the back of the eyes . Keratitis occurs in about 50% of all shingles cases, whereas viral retinitis is a less common complication.5

If shingles in the eye are left untreated, they may also cause increased intraocular pressure pressure in the eyes . Keratitis, retinitis, and glaucoma can damage your eyes, ultimately causing permanent vision loss.

Early treatment of eye shingles using antiviral drugs will prevent or reduce the risk of complications that can cause blindness.

Don’t Miss: How Long Can Nerve Pain Last After Shingles

How Can You Care For Ocular Shingles At Home

• Make sure to follow the medical advice of your doctor regarding prescriptions
• Avoid scratching or picking at any blisters
• Use a cold compress to relieve pain and itching
• Wait until the blisters have healed before you have close contact with people and avoid anybody most at risk such as pregnant women, young babies and those with a weakened immune system. The blisters contain the chicken pox virus which can be spread

Lower Eyelid That Rolls Outwards

As you get older, one or both lower eyelids can sometimes droop away from the eye and turn outwards. This is known as an ectropion.

The drooping eyelid can disrupt the normal production of tears. This can cause your eye to become dry, red and irritated.

Treatment may not be needed in mild cases, although drops or ointment may help make your eye more comfortable. Sometimes a minor operation is needed to fix the position of the eyelid.

Read Also: When Are You Contagious With Shingles

What Are The Symptoms Of Shingles

Shingles often starts with a burning, tingling, or painful sensation along one side of the torso or head. Within one to five days, a rash will appear. Within a few days, the rash will turn into fluid-filled blisters. The blisters will start to dry up about a week later, and will begin to disappear over the next several weeks. Some people only experience mild itching, but others have intense pain.

If you think you may have shingles, see your doctor as soon as possible, especially if you see blisters on your face or near your eye. Shingles can cause hearing or vision loss, especially if you dont get treatment for it.

No matter where your rash appears, you should seek medical treatment quickly. Your doctor can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatments to help the blisters dry up and heal. This can reduce the duration of the outbreak and your discomfort.

No cure is available for shingles, but most people who have an outbreak get it only once.

Doing the following at home may help you to feel more comfortable:

• Get lots of rest.
• Use cool washcloths on your rash.
• Take oatmeal baths.
• Keep your stress to a minimum.

You should keep the rash covered and wash your hands often to reduce the risk of spreading the infection. Shingles isnt contagious, but you can give someone chickenpox while you have it.

You May Like: What Shingles Vaccines Are Available