Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Oct;114(10):959-972.
doi: 10.1007/s00347-017-0562-3.

[Diagnostics and management of herpes zoster ophthalmicus]

[Article in German]
R N Werner  1   2 , N-I Steinhorst  3 , A Nast  1 , U Pleyer  4
Affiliations

[Diagnostics and management of herpes zoster ophthalmicus]

[Article in German]
R N Werner et al. Ophthalmologe. 2017 Oct.

Abstract

Herpes zoster (HZ, shingles) represents the secondary manifestation of an infection with varicellazoster virus (VZV). A reactivation of dormant VZV in the ophthalmic branch of the fifth cranial nerve leads to ophthalmic HZ (HZO). The predominantly older and immune compromised patients often present with eye involvement (approximately 50%) as well as characteristic skin changes. Clinical manifestations include the cornea and conjunctiva but anterior uveitis and (rarely) acute retinal necrosis may also occur. Associated sensory symptoms that range from paresthesia to severe pain may severely affect the quality of life. Particularly in immunocompromised and/or elderly patients, HZO is associated with complicated courses. Systemic antiviral treatment and an adequate pain medication are the mainstay of the recommended management. The present article provides an overview of the contents of the current consensus-based European guidelines on the management of HZ with a specific focus on HZO.

Keywords: Acute retinal necrosis syndrome; Anterior uveitis; Complications; Guidelines; Shingles.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Curr Eye Res. 1987 Jan;6(1):195-9 - PubMed
    1. Cornea. 2015 Mar;34(3):279-84 - PubMed
    1. Ther Adv Vaccines. 2015 Jul;3(4):109-20 - PubMed
    1. Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 2010 May;227(5):407-12 - PubMed
    1. Ann Intern Med. 1995 Jul 15;123(2):89-96 - PubMed

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources