Good eye care includes identifying and treating conditions that may affect vision but do not originate in the eyes. If you had chickenpox as a child, you may be prone to developing a disorder known as shingles. Here’s what you should know about signs, symptoms, vaccines, and treatment of this viral infection.  

How Shingles Can Affect Eye Care

What Causes Shingles?

The varicella-zoster virus, the same germ that causes chickenpox in children, causes shingles in many individuals when they become older adults. If you contract the virus, it doesn’t die but lives in a dormant state in the roots of your body’s sensory nerve system.

About one out of three people who had chickenpox experience shingles decades later. However, the Shingrix vaccine, which the CDC recommends, is 97% effective preventing shingles in people 50 to 69 years old. Shingrix is 91% effective for people age 70 and older and is more effective than the Zostavax vaccine.  

Signs & Symptoms of Shingles

When the virus revives itself, typical symptoms of shingles begin with tingling, itching, or painful skin followed by a red rash. Many individuals experience the rash on their torso, arm or leg, and about one out of every five people develop shingles in or around their eyes.

Treating Shingles of the Eyes

Cases of eye shingles include a rash on an eyelid, forehead, or nose and can result in blurred vision, pink eye, long-term pain, and permanent damage. If you develop shingles, seek professional eye care as soon as possible. When you act quickly, your physician and eye doctor can prescribe antiviral medication and take other measures to protect your sight and overall health.

If you experience shingles signs and symptoms, especially on your face, seek help from Midwest Eye Center: A Division of TriState Centers for Sight. Serving the greater Cincinnati, OH, and northern Kentucky area, this eye care center features a skilled team of doctors specializing in a broad range of conditions affecting vision. From routine exams to cataract surgery, their goal is to improve eye health for patients of all ages. Learn more about treatments they offer by visiting their website or call (859) 525-6215 to schedule an appointment.