Positive sexual choices have well-documented benefits for health and happiness. But did you know that sexual activity can affect your eyes and vision? Be safe, or you could go blind from doing that.
If you’re sexually active, you should be aware of how sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) are spread. But you may not know that many STDs can also harm your eyes and vision. You can reduce your risk of getting an STD by educating yourself, talking to your partners and practicing safer sex. Discuss with your doctor for more information.
Herpes and the Eyes
There are two types of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Type I causes cold sores or fever blisters. Nearly 90 percent of the population has been exposed to Type I herpes at some point in their life. Type II HSV causes genital herpes.
Either type of herpes can show up anywhere on the body. And either type can cause a serious infection in the eye—or blind you. A herpes infection in the eye can permanently scar the cornea or nasolacrimal (tear) duct. HSV is also known to cause inflammation of the retina which can lead to scarring, retinal detachments and blindness.
Both types of the herpes virus are passed on by skin-to-skin contact. Herpes gets into the eye either through direct facial contact with a herpes sore, or when you touch your eyes after touching a sore.
Syphilis and the Eyes
Syphilis is an STD that usually causes sores and rashes. It can have much more serious—even deadly—effects on the body if not treated. Thankfully, syphilis can be cured with antibiotics in the early stages. However, damage that’s done to the body before treatment often can’t be reversed.
When syphilis affects the eyes, it can cause inflammation of the conjunctiva, cornea, uvea (inner coat of the eye), episclera (outer coat of the eye), optic nerve and retina. Any of these can cause serious, long-lasting problems for your vision, like blurriness, pain and dryness.
Syphilis affects the whole body once you are infected. You don’t have to get anything in your eye—syphilis will travel through your bloodstream.
Gonorrhea and the Eyes
Gonorrhea can infect the genitals, anus, throat and eyes. It is usually spread by partners with few or no symptoms. Gonorrhea can be treated with medication, but in recent years some strains have become resistant to the medications used most often.
When gonorrhea infects the eyes, it can cause a form of pink eye with a large amount of pus discharged from the eyes. Gonorrhea can be passed from a mother to her child during child birth.
A person gets gonorrhea in the eyes through direct contact with body fluids during or after sex, by touching their eyes during or after sex, or during child birth.
Discuss with your doctor for more information and advice regrading safe sexual activity if your partner have sexually transmitted diseases.