The spectrum of herpes simplex virus disease of the anterior segment in the 1990s

We have sampled our clinic population in order to ascertain the proportion with herpetic eye disease of the anterior segment. The age, gender predominance, and incidence of bilateral disease amongst such patients has not changed over the past 20 years. The predominant disease type was stromal keratitis, with significant morbidity and visual handicap. Herpetic eye disease of the anterior segment utilizes only 1% of out-patient clinic resources overall, but 17% of specialist external disease clinic time. There was a statistically significant correlation between total length of follow-up and reduced visual acuity. It would seem that the prevalence of herpetic eye disease of the anterior segment appears to have halved since comparable reports were published. In addition, the prognosis of the disease, in terms of the prevalence of visual impairment, has worsened.