I had an eye exam last week. I went into the same office ...

He is right,
Herpes simplex is actually the most common virus found in humans. It is transmitted via bodily fluids, usually saliva, and may affect the skin and mucous membranes of the host. Primary infections occur most often in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. It typically manifests as a vesicular rash, sometimes affecting the skin of the lids but more commonly resulting in a "fever blister" or "cold sore" in or around the mouth.

After resolution, the virus remains dormant in the body of the host and can be reactivated in as many as 25 percent of cases by fever, trauma, stress, immunosuppressive agents or exposure to ultraviolet radiation. In recurrent attacks, the virus invades and replicates within the corneal epithelium. As the cells die, an ulcerative keratitis results. Disciform stromal scarring, conjunctivitis and uveitis are common sequelae.
http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/HerpesSimplex.asp

http://www.avclinic.com/herpes_simplex.htm

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Regards

Dr. Gupta

everything that I've read tells me that I could transfer it to my own eye by touching a cold sore and then touching my eye. Why then, is it so unlikely that I picked this up from my eyes touching the eyeglasses or equipment that an infected person had previously used?

Here is information from the site the doctor quoted above regarding the first time a person is infected it isn't in the keratitis form:

the corneal infection or "keratitis" form of the disease is not the bodies first contact with the virus. The initial infection (acute primary herpes simplex) most often occurs in childhood. The primary exposure to the virus may cause multiple whitish blisters around the eye termed viral eczema. Infrequently, a mild eye infection may be present. The acute primary herpetic infection is generally self limiting, meaning that within a given period of time, the infection resolves without any treatment or medical intervention. The primary exposure to the virus may be so subtitle that it may not even be noticed.

http://www.avclinic.com/herpes_simplex.htm

The herpes virus lays dormant most of the time. There is a possibility for periodic flare ups, which is what you are experiencing now. You had herpes simplex in your system before you went to the eye doctor.

More from the article:
It is the secondary herpetic infection, acute secondary herpes keratitis, which is more troubling for the eye. After the primary infection in childhood, the virus tends to remain dormant within the nerves of the body, especially the trigeminal nerve. The virus may become reactivated during emotional or physical stress, overexposure to ultraviolet light (i.e. tanning) and/or in conditions of immune-compromise (i.e. chronic diseases such as cancer, aids etc.). There are approximately 700,000 new cases of herpes simplex epithelial keratitis in the United States each year.

I hope that helps explain it better.

Please let me know if you have more questions.

Kerry

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Kerry, RN
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