Recurrent Corneal Virus

[StephenK97]

Ok so back in MArch I had a nasty bout of pink eye that lasted like 12 days and went through both eyes. I went through several meds that were creams and drops but no steroids. Finally the pink eye went away but all of a sudden my vision started to go rapidly.. I was seeing HUGE HALOS around lights and night etc.. Then I was not able to see clearly like 4 feet in front of me.

I went from being able to read line 9 perfectly to not being able to read line 6 in like 3 -days. I finally went to an opthamologist (Surgeon etc) and he said I had a virus that spread to my cornea. He assured me that is was not Herpes but he did not do a stain test. He said it was not necessary as Occular Herpes does not got to both eyes and that I did not have any sores around my eyes. he placed me on a regimen of 2 drops of steroids in each eye 4 times a day for like 2 weeks. Well it cleared it up in about a week. This further gave support to it not being Occular Herpes as if it was, my eyesight would have gotten worse with Steroid treatment and not better as it did. During this time he also treated me with an oral anti-viral . He said not to freak out because it was the same one give for shingles but that I DID NOT HAVE SHINGLES. Needless to say I was relieved to have regained my eyesight and assumed that it was done. Well about a week after stopping the eyedrops the HALOS came back at night, but this time my vision was not so effected and I had no light sensitivity etc.. I also could still read line 9 for the most part.

Well DOc had a look and said that yep the virus remnant was still there or came back. He suggested that it was either the virus or an auto-immune over response. Again he had me start up the steroids again this time only 1 shot in one eye twice a day and just one shot a day in the other. Clearly it was not as bas as the first time.

Well after another week of steroids I was again back at 100%. Went back to doc and after the slit lamp exam I was given the all clear. He said my eyes were 100% healthy. He also said that the virus I had was usually an innocuous one but that it could recur at anytime for the next few months or even for the next year. He gave me a large bottle of the same steroid and said take the drops as needed if it comes back? What does this mean? I have since  had a few bouts of HALOS at night that without drops  usually resolve by the next day. Is this the virus coming back or what else normal can cause this?

Does anyone know or has anyone heard of such a virus that recurs like this and is bad at first and less every time there after? causes HALOS at night?

To be fair it is allergy season and my one eye, the one without the the HALO's now has a stye and both eyes have been extremely dry do to fans on at night etc.. I also spend alot of time watching Laptop and TV in poor lit areas.

So big questions are these:

1.)What sort of virus would hang around and recur randomly (or maybe when under stress)

2.) Every time I get HALO's what is chance that this is a sign of the virus?

3.) What do you think the doc meant by "Use the Steroid drops as needed , see you in 6 mos"? Does that mean this is not a serious thing and just a new nuisance in my life?

4.)If this were a new auto-immune sort of disease I got, wouldn't it be constant and not random? Like if my immune system was attacking my cornea it would probably be a constant thing correct?

5.) Occular Herpes still 100% out of question as I have no sores, use of steroids helped and did not hurt condition, had issue in both eyes?

6.) Am I gonna go blind here or suffer some crazy damage? I mean as bad as my eyes were originally with this virus the fact that they made a 100% recovery is comforting.

Thx for your help,
Stephen

[JohnHaganMD]

First of all recognize what you said "borderline suicidal"  That is a much bigger problem than your eye problem. You need to discuss your mental status with your physician, your friends and support group. You may need antidepressants or anti anxiety medication. Deal with that immediately.

It is not at all likely that you will go blind or even have major eye damage. The treatment of herpes simplex eye disease (Usually type 1) has been revolutionized by the antivirals oral acyclovir; Valtrex or famvir.   50% of patients that have a cornea HS virus will have a second attack within 5 years.

type 2 HS is usually associated with a genital infection. Treatment of the genital HS by oral Valtrex should prevent a second episode of eye problems.  If the cornea ophthalmologist was not impressed with your findings its likely you don't have any serious cornea problems. Type 2 is not worse on the eyes.

It's possible you might have dry eyes. Use the search feature and archives to read about that treatment.  remember that all sinus medication and antihistamines generally aggravate dry eyes.

Deal with your mental state  Please

[greeneyes1285]

Dr Hagan please help. Herpeticketeroconjuctivitis/ March I had a primary episode of gh. Assuming hsv2 blood test had no results yet.....6 weeks of pure agony..... left eye had conjunctivitis and burning went away.... Six weeks later pain sinusitis redness swelling etc. Rubbed my right Wye....still didn't even know I actually had hsv......both eyes became infected. Watery diahcharge gritty sensation... op said no ulcers! No corneal involvement... Will reccurrences be bilateral? I've had hay fever does that mean I'm atopic... So afraid of going blind! In both eyes! Corneal specialist blew me off twice! Eyes intermittently burn and tear constantly. Taking1mg valtrex daily for hsv down below. Idk what to do. Borderline suicidal. What are reccurence rates in a lifetime of ocular hsv? 1or 2? Does it even make a difference which type it is? I cannot find support anywhere...

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

If you have corneal inflitrates from adenovirus generally the steroids are used 3-4 times/day for several weeks to see if they dissappear or fade then slow taper is done. The eye does need to be watched for steroid glaucoma.

Consider a second opinion from a cornea-external disease Eye MD ophthalmologist. Find one near you at www.aao.org

JCH MD

[StephenK97]

Thank you so much Dr. My last concern is learning how to treat it. I called the office today after reading what you posted and hoping for some sort of dosage / use clarification and the tech told me that the Doc said as needed which means take it "As needed". I explained that I thought that Steroids were not effective that way and that you needed to take them for a set period to work.. Like a regimen and then tapered off of them.

Is it ok to just take a drop here and there as needed?

Also the eye with the stye is the opposite one but even though the stye appeared to have gone away yesterday following heat compresses and the bump disappearing, today my eyelid seems even more swollen but no longer hurts like a lid with a stye does. A day prior to this stye I found a little clear pimple/bump on the edge of my bottom lid that resolved on its own by the next day. The day after that I get this stye on the inside of top eyelid not near the edge.Kind of in the middle of the eyelid underneath.

I traditional get styes a few times every allergy season and have absolutely been itching my eyes and sneezing this week and the week prior to the styes showing up.

Is the eyelid swelling and Stye just a process of the stye or is this tied to adeno virus?

Thx again for all of your help,
Stephen

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

All your symptoms could be explained by an adeno-virus infection and they caused subepethelial inflitrates. You may need to be on steroids for seveeral months with a slow tape to help them fade and stay away. Herpes is not a likely cause at all.
THis is not at all likely to cause blindness or serious vision loss.

JCHMD