Shingles

[Dreamer2027]

I will attach photographs. My mum has shingles, her GP has told her to go to A+E as it is around her Eyes, but she won't. She will start Anti virals today. GP said it would be a good idea for the optician to check her eyes as it can be Dangerous. If it was me, and my GP told me to go to A+E I would go. Does anyone think my mum is being silly for not going, and does it look like from photos she should be going, if anyone knows and has better understanding of Shingles. Thankyou.

Cant see the pics but had it recently - albeit on my ribs.
The eyes however are a different matter and agreed it can be dangerous and also very contagious. I took Acciclovere I thinks its called. I would definitely urge her to go to hospital, then the optician. Do not let her share a towel with anyone either, or go too near any babies. Best of luck

Yes, I had it on my eye, she has to go, they need to monitor as it can cause blindness depending on how it develops there. She is taking a huge risk in not going, and they would also prescribe specific drops etc to help with the discomfort.

@Onesipmore Thankyou. I think photos should be showing now. Yes her GP told her about not Sharing towels. She says she will go to the opticians first and let them look at her eyes as she Hates Hospitals.

@Devuelta81 Thankyou. She's insisting she'll go to the optician first so hopefully if they tell her to go to Hospital too, I hope she'll listen.

This

i had it in summer in my eye - incredibly painful and still have issues now. I had drops and the opthamalogy dept at the hospital saw me fortnightly for a couple of months

Yes she is silly. Tell her my story.
I had shingles in my eye 14 years ago, I was sent to to opthalmic a and e where I was given eyedrops (and lots of students marvelled at the photos) which I had to put in every hour for a week then four hourly for months. I was under opthalmics and neurology for about a year and then eye tests every 6 months for a few years.
I was left with scarring on my lense (so reduced sight), post hepatic neuralgia which causes constant pain in my head, arm and hand and weakness in my hand and dry eye. It could have been much worse, I could have lost my sight. I wear glasses now which corrects it enough but the glasses hurt when they touch my face because of the neuralgia and I cant wear contact lenses because of the scarring. I see the optician every year (occasionally have to go more often), twice I've been refered back to the hospital since. Getting the treatment quickly with shingles is key (I was originally misdiagnosed). The shingles made me feel ill, but 14 years of pain has been harder (and i was much younger than your mum probably is, 32). I also count myself lucky that it was diagnosed within the treatable window (although if treated straight away I'd have had a better chance of less complications).
I hope she listens to someone before its too late.

Mmm, so basically what you are saying is that even if she attends A&E she will still suffer for months on end, years perhaps, and come away with reduced sight and scaring. This is more likely to scare someone off than encourage them ffs.

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OP, this is an extreme case, the type that you will most definitely encounter claiming to be 99% of cases on MN.
However, most trigeminal shingles can be dealt with efficiently and without further issues, so I do hope she sought further assistance from eye doc and is doing ok now.

I’ve had eye shingles. The optician is the best place to go, they will fit her in urgently if they can, call first thing Monday and see what you can get. If it has spread to her cornea then she may need Acyclovir eye cream too.

I suspect the GP has said A&E because the opticians are closed for the weekend. It’s up to your mum whether she does this. @

I had symptoms in my eye - gritty, red and sore with blurred vision and an off the chart headache emanating from my eyeball. Is she symptomatic?

I have a scar on my cornea but my other eye compensates and it doesn’t really affect my vision. I haven’t had to extra eye tests or any follow up care. Agree with PP all the opticians and Dr’s at the eye hospital we’re very excited to see it through their machine as it’s rare.