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Can HSV Involving The Lips Get Reactivated In The Eyes?

Posted on Tue, 25 Aug 2015

Question: I have hsv-1 and have been infected for 5 years now. Thus far ive only had outbreaks on my lip which is where my first outbreak occured. Ive been seeing alot of research on webmd, patient.com, medicine.net, emedicinehealth.com, harvard.edu, mayo clinic, cdc.gov, and summitmedicalgroup.com lately stating that hsv-1 can reactivate at random and rather than traveling back down to my lips it will follow the nerves to my eyes instead. I've noticed that based on research this occurs for the first time in people mostly between the ages of 30-40, people with previous hsv infections of the mouth or nose, and people who wear contact lenses. My fear is im about to enter my 30's, i have cold sore reactivation blisters on my lips from time to time, and i wear contact lenses daily. Im wondering should i give up contact lenses to lessen my chances of hsv randomly spreading through my trigeminal nerve and activating in my eye instead of just going back to my lip like it has been thus far?

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
To be on safer side you can reduce or stop wearing contact lenses.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care Magic

I am Dr. Dadapeer K an ophthalmologist and I will be answering your question.

I reviewed your history and the previous questions you had asked.

The chances of herpes simplex infection involving the lips getting reactivated to involve the eyes is very rare.
But the use of contact lenses in case of herpes simplex infection of eyes is associated with more chance of recurrence because of stress and minor injuries to cornea.
Hence we advice to avoid using continuous use of contact lenses in herpes eye infection. However this is not required for herpes infection of lips.

Hence to be on safer side if you want to avoid use of contact lenses you can do so.

Hope this answers your question.

Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Dadapeer K (13 minutes later)

Will my continued use of contact lenses increase my risk of one day having ocular herpes or is it only a concern if i have had previous ocular herpe infections?

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (40 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Use of contact lenses is risky in ocular herpes infection.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for the follow up question.

Yes you are right that use of contact lenses is a risk factor in case of ocular herpes infection.
This will not have much risk in case of herpes infection of lips or angle of mouth.

Hope this answers your question.

Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Dadapeer K (5 hours later)

So based on my history if i walked into your office as a patient what would be your recomendation to me? Just contine as i am or give up contact lenses?

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
I will not ask to stop wearing contact lenses.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for the follow up question.

With this history I would not ask to stop wearing contact lenses as I feel the risk of recurrence of infection to involve the eye is very low or nil.
Hence I will recommend to continue contact lenses.

Hope this answers your question.

Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad