Symptomatics and treatment of herpetic keratitis

2 Methods of therapy

Depending on the shape, degree of corneal damage, the doctor may offer different methods of treatment. Basically, in order to cure herpetic keratitis, the following methods are used:

• Medication therapy aimed at destroying the infection, removing inflammation from the cornea, getting rid of the infiltrate;
• Operation. It is prescribed only in extreme cases, when for some reason the conservative treatment of herpetic keratitis does not have an effect.
• Folk methods do not help, to choose independently preparations, a way of treatment without the knowledge of the doctor it is impossible. This approach to treatment will not help to cope with the problem and can only exacerbate the condition.

The following medicines are offered as antiviral therapy:

• "Zirgan".The preparation processes the lower part of the conjunctive sac 4-5 times a day for 2 weeks. After that, the dosage is reduced to 3 applications daily. The total duration of the course is 21 days. The drug does not have a pronounced toxic effect unlike Acyclovir. The course includes not only the treatment of the disease, but also the prevention of relapse.
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• "Ophthalmoferon" should be dripped 5-6 times during the week.
• "Valtrex" - tablets for oral administration. One tablet daily for 5-7 days. According to individual indications, the intake of "Valtrex" can be prolonged up to 30 days.
• "Zovirax" - an alternative to "Valtrex", is adopted according to the same scheme.

The first week of treatment involves the administration of non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs. Most often, with herpetic keratitis appointed:

• "Broksinak" - is buried every day for 1 time.
• "Corneragel" - the lower conjunctive bag is smeared three times a day.
• "Irifrin" - 2 drops in each eye twice a day. The drug greatly expands the pupils, so without consulting a doctor, it is undesirable to use "Irifirin".

In the second week of therapy, the following topical preparations may be prescribed:

• "Chilozar-Comod";
• "Vis-gel-gel";
• "Gerpferon";
• Hydrocortisone-Pos.

Also on the second week of the prescribed tablet "Traumeel".They must be drunk 1 to 3 times a day for 21 days. According to individual indications, the duration of the course can be adjusted.

Herpetic keratitis has a tendency to relapse, so therapy against an infectious disease is repeated regularly. The patient should undergo a full course of treatment 4 times a year against the virus in order to prevent a recurrence.

To prevent the undesirable reaction of the immune system, completely suppress the virus at stage 2, the following treatment is performed:

• 3 weeks "dexamethasone" is digested 0.02%;
• After 3 weeks, less concentrated "dexamethasone" 0.01% of the content is used - 21 days.

If "Dexamethasone" does not help or the disease is severe, "Restasis" is prescribed. It is recommended to use it only after the completion of antiviral therapy.

To remove ulcers, improve the condition of the cornea, phototherapeutic keratectomy can be prescribed. During surgery, both surgical manipulation and laser exposure are performed to achieve the greatest therapeutic effect. The operation helps in 80% of corneal opacity and its dystrophy, does not allow further deterioration of vision.

If you correctly approach the treatment of herpetic keratitis, follow the doctor's advice, it is possible to avoid the development of severe complications, among which blindness. You can get rid of severe pain, defocused vision( if the treatment started in the early stages), calmly return to normal, full-fledged life.

1 Forms and symptoms of the disease

The disease can be acute or lethargic, but in any case, the sensitivity of the cornea decreases. Herpetic keratitis proceeds in different ways: someone develops too fast with brightly expressed symptoms, someone for the first time does not feel any changes at all. Differentiating this disease among others is quite difficult because of the blurred clinical picture.

Common symptoms that can be observed in any form:

• Pain and pain in the eyes;
• Increased tear;
• Photophobia;
• The appearance of erosive-ulcerous vesicles on the external surface of the cornea.

Herpetic keratitis differs in the unpredictability of the flow.

The main types of the disease and signs:

• Dendritic keratitis. Everything begins with severe pain, sunlight causes irritation, flies in the eyes. Due to the fact that the surface of the cornea begins to become covered with bubbles, lightning and spots begin to flash in the eyes. The epithelium begins to gradually peel off, which causes an ulcer. This type of disease is considered the most common;
• Metaherpetic keratitis. Most often it is the next stage after dendritic keratitis, if there is no treatment or hormones are taken incorrectly. The surface of the cornea that has become covered with a ulcer as a result of dendritic keratitis begins to tear away, the affected area grows in size. Violation of the clarity of the visual picture due to the fact that the cornea begins to swell, its density thickens. The presence of infection speeds up the process of loss of vision, worsens the patient's condition;
• Discoid keratitis. The central part of the cornea begins to be damaged due to infiltration - a cluster of eye fluid, blood with infection in the deep layers. The sensitivity of the cornea is lost, the density of the surface grows, because of which the visual picture is blurred, becomes incomplete. Pain takes a systematic character;
• Keratouveit. In the eyeballs there is a strong tingling, disturbing sharp, severe bouts of pain. There is increased lachrymation, vision becomes worse, the clarity of the visual image is lost. Inflammation is caused by small vessels of the eyes, the iris is affected. From the anterior chamber begins to secrete purulent fluid( exudate), the intraocular pressure greatly increases, against this background there are: pressing pain in the forehead, nose, temples, eye fatigue, pupils increase, starts to vomiting, when looking at the light source there is a halo spot.

Herpetic keratitis, regardless of form, threatens with serious health consequences. The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the better the prognosis will be.