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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
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Porcine Corneal Tissue Explant to Study the Efficacy of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Antivirals
Published on: September 20, 2021
Herpes simplex keratitis after cataract surgery.
Irina S Barequet1, Yael Wasserzug
1Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Hashomer, Israel. barequet@cs.technion.ac.il
Cornea
|May 26, 2007
Summary
Herpetic keratitis, a rare complication of cataract surgery, can occur even without prior history. Prompt treatment with topical acyclovir is effective for these post-operative corneal lesions.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Cataract surgery, specifically phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation, is a common ophthalmic procedure.
- Herpetic keratitis, an infection of the cornea by the herpes simplex virus, is a known but rare complication of ocular surgeries.
Observation:
- Three patients developed corneal dendritic epithelial lesions post-cataract surgery.
- These lesions appeared 1-5 weeks after uneventful surgery and topical corticosteroid use.
Findings:
- The observed corneal lesions were diagnosed as herpetic epithelial keratitis.
- Treatment with topical acyclovir resulted in healing without sequelae.
Implications:
- Ophthalmologists should consider herpetic keratitis in patients presenting with corneal lesions after cataract surgery, even without a prior history.
- The combination of surgical trauma and topical corticosteroids may predispose patients to this complication.
- Early diagnosis and antiviral treatment are crucial for favorable outcomes in post-cataract surgery herpetic keratitis.
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