Herpesviriae Infection of the Corneal Endothelium

Background - The corneal endothelium plays a vital role in maintaining corneal clarity by regulating the amount of fluid in the corneal stroma. - Corneal endotheliitis is defined as inflammation of the corneal endothelial layer that leads to corneal edema and haziness, and subsequent loss of vision. - Most common causes include cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and varicella zoster virus (VZV). - Because corneal endothelial cells cannot regenerate following injury, early diagnosis is essential in proper management and preventing loss of corneal endothelial cells. In this review we aim to gather the most recent knowledge on viral corneal endotheliitis, focusing on the most common viral causes, to help clinicians with clinical diagnosis, appropriate laboratory tests, and proper management of this potentially debilitating condition