Diagnostic criteria for viral eye diseases

Background Herpetic keratitis and ophthalmic herpes zoster are serious eye diseases caused by herpes viruses. Timely diagnosis of these diseases will help preserve the vision of patients [1]. Objective To analyze and describe modern diagnostic methods for detecting viral eye diseases. Material and methods The first study used metabolomic analysis of tears to identify potential biomarkers of herpetic keratitis. High-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to analyze tear samples from 18 patients with herpetic keratitis and 15 healthy volunteers. The second study focused on pattern electroretinogram (PERG) abnormalities in patients with ophthalmic herpes zoster. Scientists assessed PERG changes in 22 patients with HZO and 20 healthy controls [2–4]. Results The first study identified 18 significantly altered metabolites, of which 12 were increased and 6 were decreased in patients with herpes keratitis. These changes were associated with metabolic pathways such as arginine and proline metabolism, phospholipid synthesis, linoleic acid and retinol metabolism. The second study identified bilateral PERG abnormalities even in uninvolved eyes, characterized by a delay in P50 peak time and a decrease in N95 amplitude compared to controls. Conclusion The two studies described above highlight the importance of advanced diagnostic methods for the detection of viral ocular diseases [5]. Metabolomic analysis of tears represents a novel approach to identify biomarkers of herpes keratitis, while PERG provides valuable data on retinal function in patients with ocular herpes zoster. Future studies should focus on validating these findings in larger studies. Keywords: herpetic keratitis; ophthalmic herpes zoster