Facial herpes zoster may cause blindness, how to prevent it

Facial herpes zoster is a common skin disease. Many people do not think it is serious and do not take it seriously. However, experts say that facial herpes zoster may cause blindness. So how should facial herpes zoster be treated?

Facial herpes zoster can cause blindness

Before the rash occurs, there may be systemic symptoms such as mild fatigue, low fever, and poor appetite. The affected skin will feel burning or neuralgia, and there will be obvious pain sensitivity when touched, which lasts for 1 to 3 days. The rash may also occur without any prodromal symptoms. The most common sites are the areas innervated by the intercostal nerves, cervical nerves, trigeminal nerves and lumbar sacral nerves. The affected area often first develops erythema, soon followed by millet- to soybean-sized papules, which are clustered and not fused, and then quickly turn into blisters with tense and shiny blister walls, clear blister fluid, and a red halo around the periphery. The skin between clusters of blisters is normal. The lesions are arranged in a band-like manner along a peripheral nerve, mostly on one side of the body, usually not exceeding the midline. Neuralgia is one of the characteristics of this disease, which may occur before the onset of the disease or accompany skin lesions, and is often more severe in elderly patients. The course of the disease is generally 2 to 3 weeks. After the blisters dry up and the scabs fall off, temporary light red spots or pigmentation remain.

Some patients suddenly develop many small blisters on their faces, which are extremely painful. Since I was in good health, I didn’t take it seriously, thinking that maybe I would be fine if I just endured it. Unexpectedly, the blisters quickly spread to the eyes, and within a few days, he became blind. This is because the herpes zoster virus invades the cornea, causing irreversible changes in the cornea. Therefore, facial herpes zoster should be treated early to prevent blindness.

Experts say that facial herpes zoster is a disease caused by the herpes virus invading the trigeminal nerve in the face. Patients usually first experience severe skin pain of unknown cause, and then red spots appear on the skin a few days later. Then, along the area where the nerves are distributed, the red spots will turn into clusters of small blisters the size of green beans, which are papules. However, there are a few patients who only feel pain but do not have skin lesions, which makes it very difficult for doctors to diagnose them and they are often misdiagnosed.

Once the herpes zoster virus invades the first branch of the trigeminal nerve, the ophthalmic branch, the patient will experience the above symptoms around the eyes, maxillofacial area, and head. If the nasociliary branch of the ophthalmic branch is invaded, delayed treatment may cause damage to the cornea, turbidity, or even blindness.

Five preventive measures for shingles

1. Strengthen physical fitness and improve disease resistance. The elderly should adhere to appropriate outdoor activities or participate in sports to strengthen their physical fitness and improve the body's ability to defend against disease.

2. Prevent infection. Infection is one of the causes of this disease. Elderly patients should prevent infection from various diseases, especially in the autumn season, when the weather alternates between cold and warm. They should add or remove clothes in time to avoid upper respiratory tract infections caused by cold. In addition, inflammation of the oral cavity and nasal cavity should be actively treated.

3. Prevent trauma. Trauma can easily reduce the body's disease resistance and lead to the occurrence of this disease. Therefore, elderly patients should be careful to avoid trauma.

4. Avoid contact with toxic substances. Try to avoid contact with chemicals and toxic drugs to prevent damage to the skin, affect your health, and reduce your body's resistance.

5. Improve nutrition. The elderly should pay attention to the nutrition of their diet, eat more soy products, fish, eggs, lean meat and other protein-rich foods and fresh fruits and vegetables to keep their physique strong and prevent various diseases that are directly or indirectly related to this disease.