Eyes Wide Open: Unveiling Herpes Simplex Virus Keratitis Following Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Herpetic keratitis remains a major contributor to infectious keratitis and corneal blindness in India. The prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis has been reported between 2.3% and 7.8%, with varying incidence of epithelial HSV keratitis following cataract surgery. This report describes a healthy individual who developed epithelial HSV keratitis 1 month after uneventful cataract surgery, despite no prior history of herpetic eye disease. The keratitis resolved rapidly with timely initiation of topical and systemic antiviral therapy, emphasizing the critical role of early recognition and prompt treatment in managing postoperative herpetic keratitis.