At the annual scientific and technical conference themed "Every Gaze - A Belief," recently held in Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Ton Quang Anh and Dr. Mai Ngoc Anh, specialists in ophthalmology, presented a clinical case of keratitis caused by the herpes virus.
The patient, a 65-year-old woman with a habit of rubbing her eyes, came to the hospital seeking help with her right eye vision reduced to only 1/10 and a feeling of a foreign object in her eye.
Image of the patient's eyes upon admission (Photo: Doctor).
Initially, the patient was diagnosed with corneal abrasion in the right eye and prescribed eye drops and a bandage. At a follow-up visit 5 days after treatment, the patient experienced reduced sensation of a foreign body, but the corneal epithelium had not fully healed, and the conjunctiva was significantly congested.
On the 12th day after starting treatment, the patient's corneal damage had not healed, anterior chamber inflammation had worsened, limbal congestion was severe, and a "tree branch" image was observed in the eye. The patient also mentioned to the doctor that they had previously experienced recurrent blisters around the lips, which had resolved spontaneously.
Based on the symptoms, the doctor diagnosed the patient with herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis and prescribed additional treatment with oral antiviral medication (Acyclovir) eye drops 5 times a day.
After two weeks of antiviral treatment, the patient's right eye vision improved to 5/10, the corneal epithelium healed completely, and there was no longer any inflammation.
According to the doctor, HSV keratitis is an eye disease caused by HSV infection – a double-stranded DNA virus that lives in humans. Many risk factors can contribute to this condition, such as weakened immunity, hormonal changes, surgery, trauma, contact lens wear, and the use of angiogenesis inhibitors.
In terms of symptoms, in primary infections, the eye may develop blisters on the eyelid skin, superficial punctate keratitis, follicular conjunctivitis, or preauricular lymphadenopathy.
In secondary cases, patients may experience blepharitis-conjunctivitis, epithelial or stromal keratitis, uveitis, or retinitis.
The reporting team shared that HSV keratitis is often the first condition considered when treating physicians observe a branching, tree-like pattern in the corneal epithelium.
The image shows branching patterns resembling "tree branches" in the patient's eye (Photo: Doctor).
However, there are many dendritic-like corneal epithelial lesions that are not caused by HSV, known as "pseudodendritic," such as ocular herpes zoster or healing epithelial lesions.
Therefore, healthcare professionals need to carefully obtain the patient's medical history to make an accurate diagnosis; kidney function should be considered when adjusting antiviral drug dosages. For pregnant women, safe antiviral drug options are still available.
In addition, uveitis caused by HSV can trigger a sudden increase in intraocular pressure and lead to secondary glaucoma.
Because HSV is highly contagious through direct contact while lesions are still present, doctors advise people to avoid direct contact of their affected skin with others, not to share personal items, and not to touch their eyes.
When applying and removing makeup, people should be careful to avoid contact with blisters or sores, as this can easily lead to bacterial infection.
The scientific conference "Every Gaze - A Belief" brought together approximately 100 delegates, including ophthalmologists, resident doctors, and leading ophthalmology experts.
The conference focused on cutting-edge areas of modern ophthalmology, such as: surgical glaucoma (Pakic-based refractive error); cataract surgery (Phaco); uveitis; pediatric ophthalmology...
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/nguoi-phu-nu-phat-hien-canh-cay-o-giac-mac-suyt-mu-vi-thoi-quen-dui-mat-20251213164739117.htm
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