How easy is it to catch ocular herpes?
I have started dating a woman who has ocular herpes. She only has occasional flare-ups, and tells me that I can only get it from her if I touch the sores/blisters on or around her eyes during the flare-ups. However, she also says that she understands if I want to break up with her because of the risk.
Her ex, who she was with for a few years before she met me (and she's had the disease for close to a decade) does not have it... What say you? Is her assessment accurate? So far I have not seen her during a flare-up... What do you think the risk is? Hoping I can get a good, detailed answer soon... Thanks in advance.
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In all the time that you've known this woman and have been aware of her condition, you could at any time have done some simple online research about it. This woman is being forthright with you and I hope you will appreciate that. She's also knowledgeable about her condition. In all likelihood, she has an HSV-1 infection. When transmitted to the eyes, it affect the eyelids, conjunctiva and cornea. Less commonly, it can also infect the inside of the eye and the retina.
No form of herpes, either HSV-1 or HSV-1, can be transmitted without direct contact to the lesions or blister drainage. And the virus cannot be successfully transmitted from her to you unless you immediately touch your mouth or eyes afterward. If you accidentally made contact and then washed your hands, the virus would go down the drain. There is a low risk for transmission between outbreaks due to viral shedding which can occur at any time but the greatest risk is during an outbreak when HSV-1 is at its most active. HSV-1 more commonly causes oral lesions that some call cold sores or fever blisters, both euphenisms for herpes lesions. However, the virus can be transmitted to the eyes.
"How easy is it to catch ocular herpes?" -- As easily as orofacial herpes (HSV-1) or genital herpes (HSV-2). Transmission requires direct contact with lesions or drainage and then immediate transference to a preferred or acceptable site. Both HSV-1 & HSV-2 have preferred sites of infection but can and will cross infect. HSV-1 prefers the face, mouth and eyes but can be transferred to genitalia. HSV-2 prefers genitalia but can be transferred to the face. The viruses have the ability to adapt. However, if you understand the infection and use common sense, it's no threat to you.
Think this over. This very generous and understanding woman has even given you a graceful way out and she didn't have to do this. You may want to see her during a flare up, if she's comfortable with that, so you can truly begin to understand what she's living with. I say give this relationship a chance.
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This is the type of herpes that you get from cold sores and sometimes people infect their own eye by touching the cold sore then their eyes. I think your chances of getting ocular herpes from someone is the same as getting it from someone with oral herpes.
The way you get the transmission is touch a cold sore then your or someone elses eye. They will then get the ocular herpes. Or touch someones eye that has ocular herpes then touch your eye and you most likely will get ocular herpes.
In other words ocular herpes and oral herpes are both the same herpes HSV1.
So the best way to be safe, is that if you touch an area that has blisters/sores, DO NOT TOUCH YOUR OWN EYES.
My best friend has had genital herpes for about eight months now, and it's been really rough. She's had about 7 outbreaks. Everywhere I read it says it stops flaring up so much after time, but its not getting less frequent for her. She's been on Antiviral meds the whole time, too. She also has type 1 diabetes which she has had her whole life, which really weakens her immune system. Will it ever get better?
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