Not just liver, Hepatitis B virus may take away your vision too

You may lose your vision due to Hepatitis B virus. On the World Hepatitis Day, let us learn about the eye complications that Hepatitis B virus can cause.

Sreemoyee Chatterjee | Updated: July 27, 2018 11:48 am

In case you think Hepatitis B can only affect your liver, you are widely mistaken. Apart from attacking the liver cells gradually leading to liver failure, Hepatitis B virus also causes liver cancer. These are known facts. But, you may be shocked to know that Hepatitis B can affect your eyes as well. While fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting and jaundice are common symptoms of Hepatitis B, here we will talk about the major eye complications caused by Hepatitis B virus.

Retinal Vasculitis: An inflammation of the blood vessels due to a debris left from a foreign invasion by a virus or a bacterium, retinal vasculitis develops inside the eye at times. Lessened blood flow results in white spots in the retina, also known as cotton wool spots. These spots appear when the retinal tissues do not receive blood flow and oxygen.

Third Nerve Palsy: Your eye muscle movement could be at stake as Hepatitis B can paralyse the third cranial nerve that arises from the brain and travel a long way across the body. Responsible for eye movement and change of pupils’ size, this nerve when damaged can cause havoc to your eyes and pupils. Such a condition occurs as immune system components gather in one place and result in lack of blood flow to the third nerve, causing third nerve palsy.

Optic Neuritis and Uveitis: The deadliest of all, neuritis is the result of acute inflammatory condition of the optic nerve that links our eyes to the brain. Uveitis is another inflammatory condition damaging the tissue in the front of the eye. Immune system debris and antibodies brought by the virus are responsible for these conditions.

Side effects of treatment: The scare does not end here. Experts say that treating Hepatitis B can also lead to several side effects affecting your eyes. Interferon, a drug used to treat Hepatitis B can result in several eye complications in the form of retinopathy. Broken blood vessels in the white part, retinal detachment, optic neuropathy and an increased eye pressure can be results of using Interferon. Several of these conditions can even make you lose your vision.

Go, consult an eye doctor
Hepatitis B also result in a yellowish tint in the eyes. However, most of these conditions are treatable, say doctors. Although the symptoms of certain anomalies are initially asymptomatic, experts advise the patients to be alert and consult an eye doctor immediately after getting diagnosed with Hepatitis B.

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Published: July 27, 2018 10:36 am | Updated:July 27, 2018 11:48 am

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