Hi I am new to this forum and have some questions about ocular herpes. I have been trying to find answers on Goggle but it just basic info and facts (as well as the usual scare stories). I have had HSV-1 for the last 30 odds years (I am 51 now). In that time I have only ever had outbreaks of single cold sores on my mouth lips and inside my nose. I never actually knew you could get ocular herpes until I read something about it last week (oh how ingnornace was bliss). Anyway since reading about this I have become extremely anxiuos and worried to the point of not being able to sleep properly that I am going to get ocular herpes. So the questions I want to ask are
1. Is it possible to spread the herpes from my lip/nose to my eyes i.e. by touching the cold sore then rubbing my eye. I have read differing opinions on autoinoculation some say it is possible others say it is not due to antibodies you already have to HSV-1 preventing its spread to another area.
2. Would just touching a cold sore then your just touching or rubbing your eye contain enough viral load for transfer?
3. Is it ok to splash cold water onto your face when you have an active cold sore. Is there a chance of the water splashing the virus into the eyes (to date this has never happend to me) but am curious if it is a possibility.
4. As I have had HSV-1 for so long and it has only ever given me cold sores on my lips/nose is there still a chance I could get it in the eye's. Or is it more likely that my outbreaks will keep recurring in the same place as usual lips/nose.
5. Is it common for those who suffer with oralfacial HSV-1 to get ocular herpes
.Thanks for taking the time to read my questions and I hope for some answers as I have got myself into too much worry about this that it is impacting my daily life.
Cheers Owain
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