What role does aging play in eye infections? And what about other infections in relation to eye conditions? The immune system appears to play a major role, but there are also concrete steps you can take. Prof. Dr. Martine Jager of the LUMC explains.
A woman with glaucoma tells her ophthalmologist that she thinks her field of vision has deteriorated after she had the flu. Even though glaucoma is not usually linked to the flu, in this case it turns out to be true. “It has everything to do with our immune system,” explains ophthalmologist and professor Martine Jager of the LUMC. “When the immune system is activated, the effects can also be noticeable in an eye condition. What this woman is describing happens to many more people, but not everyone notices it.”
Flu shot
And yet, it’s not common practice for people with eye conditions to be advised to get the flu shot, for example. “I do get it,” she emphasizes. “The point is that an infection stimulates your immune system. All sorts of other tissues are involved in the inflammation, and that can also affect your eye tissues. If you already have an eye condition, it can worsen as a result. A lot of people think the flu shot is nonsense. But that’s not true. Earlier in the year, all known viruses are collected, and a vaccine is formulated based on that. It’s usually quite effective. So it definitely makes sense.”
The immune system is complex. She admits that right away. “Inflammatory reactions occur throughout your body—including in and around your eye. Inflammation on the outside of the eye is visible. We see red eyes. We’re talking about inflammation of the eyelid, dry eyes, red eyes, corneal inflammation, and complaints that people’s vision is getting worse. One of the most important things at that point is hygiene: even with mild irritation, keep the eye and eyelids clean. Just use a gauze pad and some water. That’s all it takes. But be sure to do this even if you have an eye infection!”
Dry eyes
One of the consequences of technological advances is dry eyes caused by computer use. “Dry eyes are much more susceptible to inflammation. When using a computer, we don’t blink enough, and our eyes become drier. If there isn’t enough oil on the eye, it becomes dry and the mucous membrane becomes inflamed. The only way to prevent this is to keep your eyes clean at all times and force yourself to blink. If you have blocked glands, you’ll need to gently unblock them using warm compresses so that the surface of the eye can remain moist. Using eye drops frequently? Then you run into the issue that some people are sensitive to preservatives. That, too, can lead to inflammation.”
Herpes
She warns against improper use of contact lenses and issues regarding their quality. This can lead to serious problems. Another one? Herpes—another little-known cause of severe symptoms. “The cold sores that everyone is familiar with around the mouth can also spread to the eyes. The same goes for chickenpox and shingles. Once it’s on the eye, you can’t get rid of it. There’s a good vaccine against herpes zoster (shingles), but it’s not covered by health insurance. There is sufficient evidence to recommend that every healthy person between the ages of 50 and 70 should ask their primary care physician for this vaccine. Do it! It can prevent a lot of suffering.”
Growing Older
Another risk factor we have little control over is aging. As we get older, all kinds of eye infections can occur. “The causes vary. In women, it’s often a hormonal issue. It can be caused by conditions that become more common with age—such as rheumatism, for example. Our immune system really does react differently as we get older. That means we’re more susceptible to eye infections. It’s important to be aware of this. Good eye hygiene and preventing viral infections are highly recommended—especially if people already have an eye condition. It’s no myth that these conditions can worsen when the immune system responds to infections. Some people will simply notice it more than others.”
