Ocular Herpes Worry

[Bentru]

Last week I had a job interview. The first person I interviewed in the office shook my hand and had an active cold sore on her lip. I didn't think anything of it since I heard HPV is not spread through shaking hands. However, I began to get a little bit concered because during the interview the woman kept putting her right hand on her face and touching the sore. So there was a high probability that the woman had recently touched her cold sore before shaking my hand. I have really dry eyes and I have to take eye drops every few hours. I had to interview with other people after this lady in the office and wasn't able to wash my hands until everything was over two hours later. After that first  interview I needed to put drops in my eyes. I always carry WetOnes antibacterial wipes with my to use before I put the drops in because I use both hand. One to hold my eye open and the other for the eye drops. The wipes contain Benzethonium Chloride to kills the germs. I am concerned about it because I already have a lot of eye problems.

1. Is there a chance if she touch her very active cold sore shortly before shaking my hands that the herpes could have gotten on my hand and had a chance to affect my eye area while putting in the drops?

2. Would  the antibacterial wipe have killed the herpes if it was on my hand?

[Life360_Dave]

Correct it would not. In almost all cases, eye herpes results from it moving up the facial nerve. She would need to kiss your eye to be at risk.

[Bentru]

Ok so even if there was some fluid on her hand from her touching the cold sore it would not be able to infect right?

[Life360_Dave]

Hi, yes the wipes would have killed herpes on your hands but herpes would not be on your hands anyway. Passing it from her lips to her hands then to your hands then to your eye is not how herpes is transmitted. Needs direct contact from her lips to your eye to be at risk.