10% of elderly patients of Shingles eyes lose vision, those having uveitis or immunocompromised
Herpes zoster (shingles) represents reactivation of latent herpes zoster virus in individuals with previous chickenpox infection. It occurs in one in three individuals over their lifetime, with significant sequelae, including recurrent episodes and post-herpetic neuralgia, and is associated with depression. In a recent study, researchers have found that among individuals with herpes zoster ophthalmicus, approximately 1 in 10 develop vision loss which was associated with older age, immunosuppression and uveitis. The study findings were published in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY on February 11, 2021.
Herpes zoster affects 20% to 30% of the population at some point in their lifetime; approximately 10% to 20% of these individuals will have herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO). The incidence and severity of HZ increase with advancing age. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus occurs when HZ presents in the ophthalmic division of the fifth cranial nerve. Ocular involvement occurs in approximately 50% of HZ patients without the use of antiviral therapy. However, the rate of moderate and severe vision loss following HZO remains unclear. For the same purpose, researchers conducted a retrospective study, to assess the rate of moderate and severe vision loss following herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and to identify associated factors.
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