Shingles - good advice but also a warning!

I had shingles in my head about 12 years ago and was told I was lucky it had not reached my eye as it can cause permanent damage. I was fortunate that my Dr spotted it immediately and started me on the anti viral Acyclovir.
(I have also had the jab as I hit 70 this year, but suffered no ill effects)

I didn't know you could get it in your eye

Raided my savings and paid to have the vaccine privately, I did not want to wait years until I turned 70. I had a colleague who was screaming in pain when she got shingles in her eye, and there was concern she might lose the sight of it. Huge relief that at least I should be spared that.

My mother and an aunt both had shingles in their 60s, DD had it over her eyes in her 20s. I was in the first tranche of people offered the shingles jab and I could not get there fast enough.

No innoculation/medication/therapy will be fine for everybody, and for some, other medical problems, may make it dangerous but we need to place the chance of side effects from treatment alongside the chance of serious prolonged illness and side effects if we do not have it.

Having seen the prolonged period of pain and discomfort my aunt and mother went through after having shingles, I did not think twice about having the inoculation.

Because of a medical problem at the time, I missed out on the shingles vaccine when I was 78/9. Now, at 81, I've been told I can't have it due to it's lessening effectiveness as we age.
Reading the above, I am rather thankful that I didn't have it!
However, a friend of mind did have shingles very badly and it lasted for ages, the pain continuing for 5 years, so it is still a worry that I haven't been vaccinated.
It's swings and roundabouts, I suppose.