TREATED IN DULUTH, GA (NORTH OF ATLANTA) at Georgia Eye Physicians & Surgeons
Commonly referred to as “shingles,” herpes zoster is a virus that lays dormant in the nerve cells and can appear later in life. Sharing the same virus as the chicken pox virus, herpes zoster returns in a new, more painful form of rash. Anyone who has had chicken pox carries the dormant virus, since it never leaves the body, but not everyone will develop herpes zoster. Early symptoms of herpes zoster are burning and tingling sensations as the virus travels through the nervous system. Within a few days, the virus reaches the epidermal layer and red patches or blistering of the skin start to appear. When herpes zoster appears on the face, it can affect the nerves in the eye which can cause moderate to serious, vision-impairing eye problems (conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers, glaucoma or retinitis). Herpes zoster can be a highly contagious condition to non-immune patients. It may clear in a few weeks once treated with antiviral medicine; however, if not properly treated pain and damage can persist long term.
