Causes of Herpes of the Eye

About 60 percent of the population experiences a herpes infection by the age of 5. This usually manifests itself as a cold sore, but for about 500,000 Americans every year, the infection instead causes herpes of the eye.

Facts

• Herpes is a virus most commonly associated with cold sores or sexually transmitted infection. The two most well-known subcategories of the herpes virus are simplex one and simplex two. Herpes simplex one usually infects the mouth and causes cold sores; simplex two usually affects the genitals. There is some overlap between the two of them, including the fact that they can also infect the eyes. Ocular herpes is not a sexually transmitted disease.

Simplex One

• Herpes simplex one is fairly prevalent in the population. It is passed from person to person through saliva or nasal secretions. The original carrier of it may or may not have a cold sore at the time. The virus travels through the bloodstream and usually targets the nerve centers of the nose or the mouth. Sometimes it targets the nerve centers of the eye instead, causing ocular herpes.

Simplex Two

• Herpes simplex two is not nearly as common as simplex one. It usually spreads from person to person through sexual contact. Instead of traveling toward the brain, it instead moves through the body to the base of the spine and targets the nerve centers of the genitals. However, herpes simplex two may also move to the brain and infect the nerves of the eye, causing herpes of the eye.

Triggers

• After the herpes virus infects the nerve centers of the eye, you may not experience any symptoms. The virus can remain in an inactive state for years, staying dormant in your body until it is prompted to become active. Only then will you experience symptoms. Triggers can include extreme stress or contracting another infection. These events can cause herpes of the eye to manifest symptoms.

Considerations

• Herpes of the eye can manifest in a few different ways. The cause of ocular herpes is always the same, but the way it presents itself can be very different. The most common manifestation of the virus is a cold sore on the surface of the cornea of the eye. You may also experience slow-healing ulcers on the cornea's surface, an immune or allergic haze deeper within the cornea, and inflammation of the iris.