Internal ophthalmoparesis: an uncommon complication of varicella, a common disease

Abstract

Two cases are represented with ocular complications after varicella. In one case the complication was diagnosed as internal ophthalmoparesis and in the second patient the complication could be the same; at any rate an iridoplegia was present. From the cases presented in the literature we found that there seems to be a predilection for males to contract this type of ocular complication. The association of this complication and meningo-encephalitis is rare. Recovery of the pupillary reactions and accommodative power is almost never complete. The interesting observation that decrease in cell-mediated immunity but not in humoral immunity decides whether the clinical disease will manifest itself as herpes zoster or varicella is brought forward.