Shingles attacked Ms. Nhu’s right eye, causing keratitis, risk of necrosis, and blindness.
Ms. Nhu, 55 years old, had a feeling of scratchiness, stinging, and discomfort inside her right eye for unknown reasons. Two days later, her eyes were red and swollen and painful, her vision was blurred, and the blisters spread. She bought medicine and did not get better, so she went to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for examination.
On December 6, Dr. Nguyen Hoang Anh, Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of General Internal Medicine, said that red, rough, blister-like lesions appeared on one side of the face, tending to spread over time. matches the anatomical location of facial nerves, diagnosing shingles caused by Varicella Zoster virus.
“Ocular shingles is not too common, accounting for about 8% of all shingles. However, in cases where shingles attacks the eyes, causing severe keratitis on the background of diabetes like Ms. Nhu’s is quite serious, the disease progresses very quickly,” said Dr. Hoang Anh, adding that the longer it lasts, the deeper the virus attacks the inner layers of the eye or spreads to other organs. For people with diabetes, the danger level is even higher, causing severe bacterial infections, facial nerve paralysis, myocardial infarction, and stroke.
In addition, treating shingles with diabetes is difficult and carries many risks. Firstly, because you have to use anti-inflammatory drugs due to severe shingles, it can easily cause blood sugar disorders. Second, if combined with severe infection, it can easily lead to complications of diabetes such as coma due to acidemia and increased blood osmotic pressure.
Shingles attacked Ms. Nhu’s right eye, causing severe keratitis. Image: Tam Anh General Hospital
Ms. Nhu needs urgent treatment. Multi-specialty consultation in general internal medicine, neurology, dermatology, eye, endocrinology – diabetes, the patient received medical treatment, using many antiviral drugs, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, control blood sugar. Doctors monitor the risk of the virus continuing to spread, causing other complications of shingles.
After 5 days of treatment, Ms. Nhu’s health gradually recovered, inflammation and redness in her right eye decreased. Vision gradually improved, skin lesions also gradually disappeared. The patient did not have any other complications due to shingles. Paraclinical tests were all within normal limits.
Two days later, Ms. Nhu was discharged from the hospital and re-examined after a week. The doctor recommended that Ms. Nhu get vaccinated to prevent shingles and recurring complications.
Doctor Hoang Anh re-examined Ms. Nhu’s eyes after treatment. Image: Tam Anh General Hospital
Doctor Hoang Anh said that shingles and chickenpox are closely related, both are caused by the Varicella Zoster virus. Ms. Nhu once had chickenpox. After treatment, the virus still existed and lived hidden (sleeping) in the nerve ganglia for many months or years. When encountering favorable conditions such as immunodeficiency, stress, or weakness, the virus will become active again (wake up), leave its residence, move along the nerve to the skin and cause shingles. terrible.
People who have had chickenpox and have signs of suspected shingles such as rash, pain, fever, fatigue and insomnia should be examined and treated promptly at a general internal medicine, neurology or dermatology specialist. Avoid leaving it for too long as it can lead to many dangerous complications and death. Vaccination helps prevent shingles and dangerous complications caused by the Varicella Zoster virus.