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He will never see out of his right eye and will probably need to have it removed to avoid the threat of losing vision in his good eye through a phenomenon known as sympathetic ophthalmia — a process by which the immune system begins to attack both eyes if one is traumatized beyond repair and remains in the body.

The origin and distribution of herpes zoster, the occurrence of sympathetic ophthalmia and symmetrical gangrene, suggest a predominant disturbance of innervation as the exciting cause.

At the same time, it is desirable to call attention to the recent observations of MacGillavray, Leber, and others,15 which suggest that a sympathetic ophthalmia is due to the extension of a septic choroiditis along the lymph-spaces of the optic nerve.

About one-half of those who are blinded by injuries lose the second eye by sympathetic ophthalmia.

When this is threatened, removal of the eye is indicated, not only because the affected eye is destroyed beyond hope of recovery, but to avoid the risk of “sympathetic ophthalmia” affecting the other eye.