Um so basically I just got told by my ophthalmologist that I have eyeball herpes…,,,,?! ???? I didn’t even know that was possible lmao. it looked kinda weirdly pretty when magnified on her screen… like a florescent green constellation floating across my cornea…
Then I found out that herpes simplex keratitis is a major cause of blindness worldwide ????????
Anywhos.. am I now morally obliged to tell future partners I have herpes??? No idea if I have type 1 or type 2 and I have no other symptoms.. but it’s super common right? Like >70% of the population has type 1 and like >15% has type 2? Helppp I’m too young to be blind AND have to live in a nunnery BIG STRESS My mind was spinning. I just got told by my ophthalmologist that I had eyeball herpes… and I was in complete shock. I had no idea that was even possible. To make matters worse, she showed me a magnified image of the virus on her screen and it looked oddly beautiful. It was like a fluorescent green constellation floating across my cornea.
But then I found out that herpes simplex keratitis is actually a major cause of blindness worldwide. I was so overwhelmed with fear. Would I go blind? How did I get it in the first place? And most of all, would I have to tell my future partners that I have herpes?
I did some research online and found out that, indeed, it is very common. About 70% of the population has type 1 and another 15% has type 2. That was a relief, but I still had no idea what type I had. I had no other symptoms and all I knew was that I had to be extra careful with my eye health from now on.
So I decided to take the proactive approach. I started looking into ways to reduce the risk of blindness caused by herpes simplex keratitis. For starters, I began wearing sunglasses whenever I went outside. This would help reduce the risk of getting UV damage to my eyes, which can increase the risk of getting herpes. I also started taking lysine supplements, which are known to help reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks.
I also made sure to practice good hygiene. I started washing my hands more often and wearing protective eye wear when doing activities like swimming or taking showers. Additionally, I made sure to avoid sharing cosmetics and contact lenses with other people, as this can increase the risk of getting herpes.
Finally, I made an appointment with my eye doctor for a regular checkup. During the appointment, he checked for any signs of the virus and prescribed me with antiviral ointments and drops to help reduce the risk of blindness.
Even though I still don’t know what type of herpes I have, I’m doing everything I can to keep it under control