Contents:
- Medical Video: Medical Animation: HIV and AIDS
- Characteristics of HIV have attacked the eye
- Various HIV complications that might attack the eye
- 1. Kaposi sarcoma
- 2. Retinitis
- 3. Toxoplasm
- 4. Eye herpes (herpes simplex keratitis)
- 5. Keratitis
- 6. Iridocyclitis
Medical Video: Medical Animation: HIV and AIDS
People who are infected with HIV may not show any symptoms for years
Seven out of 10 people who have been infected with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA) will experience HIV complications in their eyes. That means that nearly 80 percent of people living with HIV experience problems with their vision, from mild ones such as blurred vision to those that lead to blindness.
Characteristics of HIV have attacked the eye
A weakened immune system due to HIV puts you at a higher risk of infection with viruses, bacteria and other nasty parasites. The type of disorder that most attacks the eyes of people with HIV / AIDS is retinal hemorrhage which at first can not cause significant symptoms. But when it is running, this eye disorder will cause the following symptoms:
- Blurred vision or double vision. You also begin to not be able to distinguish colors clearly.
- Visible spots in your field of vision
- Watery or red eyes
- Your eyes are more sensitive to light
- Eyes ache, pain
That's why if you are positively infected with HIV / AIDS, it is important to check your eyes regularly.
Various HIV complications that might attack the eye
In addition to retinal bleeding infections, the following HIV complications can attack the eye if you don't get immediate treatment.
1. Kaposi sarcoma
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a purplish red skin tumor that grows on the inside and around the eyelids. This tumor is characterized by inflammation, but does not cause pain. This HIV complication is caused by infection with the herpes 8 virus (HHV8).
With the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART), the risk of Kaposi's sarcoma in PLWHA has now declined considerably. However, it is prone to occur in people with low CD4 counts, especially if therapy is not continued.
2. Retinitis
Retinitis includes serious retinal inflammation which is often caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV retinitis). This eye infection occurs in 20 to 30 percent of people with HIV with a very low number of T cells. This infection develops quite quickly, in just a matter of weeks. Retinitis can also be caused by a virus that causes syphilis (Syphillis retinitis).
Without medical intervention, the infection can spread and cause retinal bleeding which can lead to permanent blindness. Retinitis can infect either side of the eye or both.
Retinitis cannot be cured, but antiviral treatment valganciclovir is considered effective for slowing the development of cytomegalovirus.
3. Toxoplasm
Toxoplasma parasites are one of the most common causes of retinal infections in people with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA). Toxoplasm that attacks the eye will cause yellowish white or light gray patches on the clear body of the eye (vitreous humor).
Vitreous is a gel that fills the space between the lens of the eye and the retina in the eyeball. This gel should remain a clear transparent color to allow light to enter the retina so that your eyes can process the images they see. Yellowish spots due to toxo infection can make vision impaired.
Treatment for mild eye toxo infection usually involves topical steroids, while for more severe cases, people with HIV / AIDS sometimes require a combination of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim drugs.
4. Eye herpes (herpes simplex keratitis)
Eye herpes is caused by the HSV-1 virus that attacks the eyelids, cornea, retina and conjunctiva (a thin layer that protects the white part of the eye). The most common type of eye herpes is epithelial keratitis. In this type, the virus is active in the thinnest layer of the corneal epithelium.
The herpes simplex virus can affect the deeper layers of the cornea, known as stroma. This type of herpes is called stromal keratitis. This type of eye herpes is more serious than epithelial keratitis because it can damage the cornea which is quite severe and even cause blindness.
Eye herpes is not contagious through risky sexual activity. This infection is more susceptible to spread from direct contact with skin or saliva infected with HSV-1.
5. Keratitis
Besides being caused by infection with the herpes virus, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) can also be caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV) and fungus candidiasis which often becomes opportunistic infections in people with HIV / AIDS. Although it can also be caused by other parasites.
The symptoms of keratitis are red eyes that are painful, itchy, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light. Keratitis can infect only one or two eyes at a time. Complications from this disease can lead to blindness. Treatment of keratitis will depend on the infection. Viral keratitis can be prescribed acyclovir, while candidiasis infections can be treated with antifungal drugs.
6. Iridocyclitis
Iridocyclitis is an inflammation of the iris, which can be associated with a number of parasites that cause opportunistic infections. Examples are cytolomegavirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), toxoplasmosis, syphilis, tuberculosis, and varicella zoster virus (VZV). The most serious cases of iridocyclitis tend to be found in people living with HIV who have very low CD4 counts.
Iridocyclitis can also be a side effect of drugs such as rifabutin (used in tuberculosis therapy) and cidofovir (used to treat severe CMV cases). Iridocyclitis can occur in one or both eyes, with symptoms that can include red eyes, excessive sensitivity to light (photophobia), and shrinking pupils.
Just like other eye infections, iridocyclitis can gradually improve with antiretroviral therapy coupled with treatment of the underlying infection.
