A consumer recently filed a Zostavax lawsuit, alleging that the shingles vaccine can cause serious side effects including eye problems resulting in blindness.

Plaintiffs Ronald B. and his wife Audrey B. recently filed a Zostavax lawsuit against Merck & Co. Inc. and others, alleging that the shingles vaccine can cause serious side that patients aren’t properly warned about.

Shingles is a condition thought to be caused by the reactivation of the chicken pox virus in the central nervous system. The virus can be activated by disease, stress, aging, and immune modulation, resulting in a painful rash. Zostavax is a vaccine manufactured by Merck which is intended to prevent the reoccurrence of shingles in individuals older than 60.

Ronald says he was injected with the Zostavax shingles vaccine in April 2013 for the prevention of shingles. Shortly after receiving the vaccine, Ronald says he developed burning, pain and light sensitivity in his left eye along with headaches.

Due to these side effects, he visited an ophthalmologist in 2016 who found that he had increased eye pressure which was treated with a laser procedure, the complaint says.

He says he continued to experience worsening symptoms including decreased vision in his left eye and was diagnosed with zoster iridocyclitis. This condition occurs when the herpes zoster (shingles) causes an infection of the eye, resulting in inflammation in the iris and other parts of the eye.

Due to his zoster iridocyclitis, Ronald alleges he now suffers from partial blindness in one eye. He claims that his struggled with zoster iridocyclitis and resulting blindness are a direct result of the Zostavax vaccine.

According to the Zostavax lawsuit, problems associated with the shingles vaccine occur because the injection contains an insufficiently weakened version of the live herpes zoster virus. Live viruses used in vaccinations can be extremely effective because they ensure an immune response and inoculation. However, if the viruses are insufficiently weakened, they can cause the very illness they are intended to prevent as well as a variety of adverse side effects.

“Once injected, attenuated live virus has been shown to recombine into more virulent strains causing disease,” the Zostavax lawsuit claims.

In his Zostavax lawsuit, Ronald also claims that Merck and other manufacturers knew or should have known about the risks associated with their shingles vaccine but concealed the risks and did not warn consumers.

“Merck negligently misrepresented material facts about Zostavax in that it made such misrepresentations when they knew or reasonably should have known of the falsity of such misrepresentations,” the Zostavax lawsuit claims. “Consequently, the Plaintiffs’ use of Zostavax was to his detriment as Merck’s negligent misrepresentations proximately caused the plaintiffs injuries and monetary losses.”

Ronald accuses the defendants of negligence, design defect, failure to warn, breach of warranties, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.

Additionally, Audrey brings loss of consortium claims, alleging that Ronald’s injuries from the Zostavax vaccine have caused injury to her, both emotional and financial. The Zostavax lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, court costs and attorneys’ fees.

The Zostavax Lawsuit is Case No. MID-L-004946-18 in the Superior Court of New Jersey for Middlesex County.