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Can Ocular Herpes Be Caused By HSV 1 Infection On Lip?
Question: I have hsv-1 and have been infected for 5 years now. Thus far ive only had outbreaks on my lip which is where my first outbreak occured. Ive been seeing alot of research on webmd, patient.com, medicine.net, emedicinehealth.com, harvard.edu, mayo clinic, cdc.gov, and summitmedicalgroup.com lately stating that hsv-1 can reactivate at random and rather than traveling back down to my lips it will follow the nerves to my eyes instead causing ocular herpes even if I don't actually spread it there by touching a sore then my eye. I've noticed that based on research this occurs for the first time in people mostly between the ages of 30-40, people with previous hsv infections of the mouth or nose, and people who wear contact lenses. My fear is im about to enter my 30's, i have cold sore reactivation blisters on my lips from time to time, and i wear contact lenses daily. Im wondering should i give up contact lenses to lessen my chances of hsv randomly spreading through my trigeminal nerve and activating in my eye instead of just going back to my lip like it has been thus far?
Brief Answer:
Vzv is more common cause of ocular herpes through trigeminal N. involvement
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query and I have understood your concern.
Ocular herpes is usually part of trigeminal nerve involvement with a different herpes virus i.e varicella zoster virus reactivation i.e vzv rather than due to herpes simplex virus reactivation. The only way hsv spreads to eye is through contaminated hands rather than backtracking through nerves.
Regards
Vzv is more common cause of ocular herpes through trigeminal N. involvement
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query and I have understood your concern.
Ocular herpes is usually part of trigeminal nerve involvement with a different herpes virus i.e varicella zoster virus reactivation i.e vzv rather than due to herpes simplex virus reactivation. The only way hsv spreads to eye is through contaminated hands rather than backtracking through nerves.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
So most of this information ive been reading is incorrect? I thought those sources i listed in my original question were very reliable?
Brief Answer:
Herpes simplex virus spreads to eyes through extraneous routes rather than
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Hsv doesnt spread to eyes through nerves. It may however rarely spread through contaminated hands, sharing towel etc.
A different herpes virus i.e varicella zoster virus (vzv) which causes herpes zoster rather than herpes simplex may however be complicated by ocular involvement through nerve; vzv virus spreading down the trigeminal ganglion along the trigeminal nerve. Trigeminal nerve supplies eye and surrounding skin area on face.
I request you to kindly verify this fact from the online resources once again
Regards
Herpes simplex virus spreads to eyes through extraneous routes rather than
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Hsv doesnt spread to eyes through nerves. It may however rarely spread through contaminated hands, sharing towel etc.
A different herpes virus i.e varicella zoster virus (vzv) which causes herpes zoster rather than herpes simplex may however be complicated by ocular involvement through nerve; vzv virus spreading down the trigeminal ganglion along the trigeminal nerve. Trigeminal nerve supplies eye and surrounding skin area on face.
I request you to kindly verify this fact from the online resources once again
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Here are just some screen shots of some of the articles? Maybe you can help me to understand it better.
Brief Answer:
Clarification regarding route of ocular involvment
Detailed Answer:
Hi. Thank you. I have reviewed the attachments. Hopefully I can convey my point.
Not denying the fact that ocular infection with Hsv is possible and subsequent ocular recurrences would be due to virus travelling down the nerve ganglion via nerves supplying the eye, I think the question here is the route by which the virus initally enters the eye?
What I was trying to say is that it is very rare that herpes virus which usually travels along a nerve to manifest as cold sore would one day travel down a different nerve to involve eye unless the person is immunocompromised which can cause dissemination. The immunity would normally keep this virus in check, from spreading to other sites.
More commonly, in case of ocular herpes, extraneous infection of eye through contaminated hands from touching a cold sore (equivalent to a new infection) is the route that initially causes ocular infection with herpes virus, the virus subsequently travels up the nerves supply of eye to ultimately establish itself in the ganglion. Once eye gets infected this way, it can of course have subsequent ocular recurrences with herpes.
The other virus I was talking about i.e vzv is a more common cause of ocular herpes rather than Hsv.
Regards
Take care
Clarification regarding route of ocular involvment
Detailed Answer:
Hi. Thank you. I have reviewed the attachments. Hopefully I can convey my point.
Not denying the fact that ocular infection with Hsv is possible and subsequent ocular recurrences would be due to virus travelling down the nerve ganglion via nerves supplying the eye, I think the question here is the route by which the virus initally enters the eye?
What I was trying to say is that it is very rare that herpes virus which usually travels along a nerve to manifest as cold sore would one day travel down a different nerve to involve eye unless the person is immunocompromised which can cause dissemination. The immunity would normally keep this virus in check, from spreading to other sites.
More commonly, in case of ocular herpes, extraneous infection of eye through contaminated hands from touching a cold sore (equivalent to a new infection) is the route that initially causes ocular infection with herpes virus, the virus subsequently travels up the nerves supply of eye to ultimately establish itself in the ganglion. Once eye gets infected this way, it can of course have subsequent ocular recurrences with herpes.
The other virus I was talking about i.e vzv is a more common cause of ocular herpes rather than Hsv.
Regards
Take care
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
So in your opinion my continued use of contact lenses will in no way increase my chances of one day developing ocular herpes?
Brief Answer:
Just need to be cautious during an episode of cold sore
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
No. I don't think so provided you can avoid using them during an episode of cold sore, just as a precautionary measure.
This is just a precautionary measure against inadvertant contamination of contact lenses through hands after touching cold sore when viral shedding is maximum. Washing your hands every time before handling contact lenses would be an additional protection, specially if you are going to use them during an episode of cold sores.
However, you don't need to worry about wearing contact lenses at other times.
Regards
Just need to be cautious during an episode of cold sore
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
No. I don't think so provided you can avoid using them during an episode of cold sore, just as a precautionary measure.
This is just a precautionary measure against inadvertant contamination of contact lenses through hands after touching cold sore when viral shedding is maximum. Washing your hands every time before handling contact lenses would be an additional protection, specially if you are going to use them during an episode of cold sores.
However, you don't need to worry about wearing contact lenses at other times.
Regards
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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