Clinical Profile, Risk Factors and Complications of Paediatric Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus-A Case Series

To study the clinical profile, risk factors and complications of paediatric Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO). Case records of clinically diagnosed paediatric HZO over the past five years period were collected. An analysis was done with the existing data to determine the patient's clinical presentation, risk factors and treatment outcomes. Among seven children (three males and four females), two were less than ten years. Risk factors like previous history of chickenpox were present in one patient and immunosuppression in another. Child with immunosuppression also had h/o viral encephalitis three days before the onset of HZO. While two patients presented with disciform keratitis and three with anterior uveitis, the remaining did not have anterior segment involvement. Six out of seven patients retained 6/6 visual acuity at one month follow-up. Paediatric HZO is prevalent even in immunocompetent children without any identifiable risk factor. It generally has a good prognosis with minimum residual complications.