Visible problem

At the word "herpes" we, first of all, imagine a cold on the lips. Meanwhile, the insidious virus can infect any organ. Including - eyes

Word - our expert, MD, Professor, Head of the Department of Reconstructive Eye Surgery Institute of Eye Diseases RAMS Arcadia Kasparov .

Uninvited guest"

However, some things have in common ophthalmic (eye herpes) and ugly sores popping up on the lips, it is still there. And one and the other attack is the same type of virus - herpes (HSV) type 1.

Standard way of infection - household (with a kiss, using a common towel with a sick person, and so on. D.). Standard and further developments: on the affected places bubbles are formed, which will soon burst, forming ulcers.

But if these "decorations" on the lip of a particular threat to their owner do not deliver, then, penetrated into the eye, herpes infection can bring a lot of very serious problems.

Cap fits

In most cases HSV strikes the cornea, at least - and the conjunctiva of the eye interior. The virus, which is essentially an intracellular parasite begins to capture more and more new cells, causing them to produce their own kind. To beat the invader from their homes is very difficult. But if you do not, it will bring a lot of troubles.

At the site of introduction of the virus occurs creeping tree ulcer, which is essentially a gateway to bacterial infection. "Viruses pass sentence, the bacteria give effect to it" - this saying medical rather accurately reflects the destructive mechanism of HSV.

Form and content

Predispose to disease factors abound. Activation of the virus, usually occurs on the weakening of immunity after suffering emotional stress, hypothermia, and even after suffering flu, which often goes hand in hand with HSV - as a "Knight" and "squire".

Depending on the form of the disease herpetic keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) may occur acutely (with tearing, pain and photophobia) and virtually no symptoms. What is the greatest danger. Especially if HSV struck deeper parts of the eye. Occupying a new area and hitting all the deeper layers without timely diagnosis and treatment of the virus leads to disruption of corneal transparency and its mechanical deformation followed by scarring, which is fraught with the fall, and even the complete loss of vision.

Find an agent provocateur

Fortunately, a significant part of herpetic keratitis can be detected by a conventional slit lamp, which now has a majority of the Ophthalmology Department.

A more profound and severe ophthalmic uses others to develop in our country immunofluorescence method of diagnosis. The material for the study are scrapings and corneal epithelium of the conjunctiva, which is done under local anesthesia, and then they are treated with a special serum. If the sampling is contained HSV antigen, with fluorescent scanning it starts to glow. And the doctor becomes clear what they are dealing with and what tactics to adhere to treatment.

No relapses!

There was a time when the treatment of herpetic keratitis is a big problem. Antiviral agents were initially incomplete and gave strong complications, but with the advent of interferon inducers (drops and injections) to stimulate the immune system, the situation has changed. Along with current anti-viral and anti-inflammatory drops and ointments, the drug, which became a joint development of the Research Institute of Eye Diseases and the Institute of Virology, and to this day is one of the key in the treatment of this disease.

- Make it so that the body of the patient did not have herpes, we can not. But to ensure that he would give more relapses, and if repeated, is mild in most cases we are able to, - says Professor Kasparov.

A great help in this and become a vaccination against HSV that doctors perform at the end of antiviral therapy. Five injections intradermally - and an exacerbation of the disease can be forgotten.

Until the bitter end?

The real breakthrough in the treatment of herpetic keratitis was the Cytokine therapy - autokletochnaya technology, in which a patient takes blood from a vein, enriched interferon inducer, kept at body temperature in special incubators, centrifuged, and then the obtained result of this procedure the plasma (the transparent part of the blood) is introduced under the conjunctiva or, if necessary, into the anterior chamber.

The effectiveness of such treatment is high - up to 70%.

And what do the rest of 30% for those who did not help either one of the above methods of treating ophthalmic? Alas, in this case, can not do without surgery. In the section of the cornea or the pathological effects of green laser (pre-staining the scope of the special red paint) or mikrodiatemicheskimi currents coagulating (burning) under a microscope herpes blisters. And then resorted to a seamless corneal transplant when a remote place ulcers doctors "glued" graft, and placed on top of special contact lenses - for a time of healing.

Be the first disease

Fortunately, with such forms of ophthalmic doctors face is quite rare. In most cases, conservative treatment is sufficient. The main thing - do not miss out on time and in time to see an ophthalmologist.

Better yet, this development does not allow. If you have already moved the herpes infection, if you have "jumped" a fever on the lips during cold start to apply eye drops with interferon inducer.

And with frequent relapses viral inflammation make vaccination against HSV.

check yourself

Herpetic keratitis is important not to be confused with symptoms of other infectious and viral diseases of the eye, where there may be:

a large number of pus (which is typical of microbial conjunctivitis);
& gt; & gt; mucosal edema (this is often the case with allergic conjunctivitis);
& gt; & gt; strong reddening eyes and a slight rise in temperature (a sure sign of conjunctivitis is adenovirus origin).

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