Shingles in Your Eye

The varicella zoster virus causes chickenpox and shingles. Most of us know shingles as a painful rash somewhere on the body, such as on the back. Those “somewheres” on the body can include the face, including the upper area of the face. Shingles occurs because the virus exists in the nerve roots in a dormant form and then can reactivate along the distribution of a nerve. The upper area of the face and the eye are served by the same nerve root, so a shingles rash on the upper face can result also involve changes in the eye. One of the really devastating consequences of shingles, if it affects the eye, is scarring that can cause permanent vision loss. So, it is very important to remember that you can get shingles in your eye and that your eye should be checked if you get a shingles rash near your eye.