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A team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and NYU Grossman School of Medicine has made a significant breakthrough in preventing vision damage associated with shingles affecting the eye. The study shows that taking antiviral medication for a year can reduce the risk of long-term vision loss in patients with herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), a condition caused by shingles.
Shingles, which is triggered by the varicella-zoster virus, affects about a million people in the United States annually. Of these cases, nearly 100,000 involve the eye, leading to HZO. In severe cases, HZO can cause significant vision impairment or even legal blindness. Approximately 30,000 HZO patients experience vision deterioration to 20/60 or worse, meaning they struggle to see objects clearly at a distance compared to typically-sighted individuals. Roughly 10,000 patients progress to legal blindness, with their vision reducing to 20/200 or worse.
Until now, there has been no long-term treatment to prevent complications from recurring or worsening HZO. However, this study offers hope. Led by Dr. Elisabeth J Cohen, professor of ophthalmology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the research explored the extended use of valacyclovir, an antiviral medication already employed for short-term treatment of shingles. Typically, valacyclovir is prescribed for a duration of seven to ten days.
The researchers found that patients who took valacyclovir for one year were 26% less likely to experience new or worsening eye disease within 18 months of starting the treatment. Additionally, the medication reduced the likelihood of multiple HZO flare-ups by 30%.
Dr. Bennie Jeng, chair of ophthalmology at the Perelman School of Medicine, emphasized the significance of this finding. “There has been no proven long-term treatment for new, worsening, or repeated episodes of this disease, so the results of this study provide convincing evidence for using long-term, low-dose antiviral treatment,” said Jeng.
For patients, this discovery could be life-changing, as vision loss due to HZO can have a profound impact on quality of life. The researchers hope that their work will pave the way for this treatment to become a standard part of care for HZO patients, especially since the drug is already a common component of shingles treatment.
“We hope that our work creates a relatively simple path toward preventing vision changes that can be life-altering,” Jeng added. “With this drug already being part of the regular clinical treatment for shingles, we don’t envision significant barriers to making this a standard of treatment.”
This groundbreaking study offers a promising solution for patients at risk of vision loss due to shingles, marking a critical step forward in ocular health.
