A tiny red dot on his left eyelid nearly cost Singaporean actor Richard Low his eyesight.
In 2013, the 73-year-old recalled that he first noticed the small spot while washing his face. Assuming it was an insect bite, he paid little attention to it.
But the following day, it grew larger. As he was about to go on a holiday to Guangzhou, China, Low decided to see a doctor, who gave him the green light to proceed with his trip.
“The red spot soon became a rash and started to spread upwards to my forehead,” said Low, who immediately went to a hospital in Guangzhou, where he was diagnosed with shingles.
He was sharing his brush with the viral infection with The Straits Times on March 7 at DS Connect #1. The event, organised by non-profit organisation Diabetes Singapore and healthcare company GSK, was held in conjunction with Shingles Action Week 2026, which aims to raise awareness about the risks of shingles, especially among adults over 50.
Low was joined by fellow actors Chen Shucheng and Zhu Houren, who are collectively known as the OG Gang on social media.
Low recalled how he was told by the doctor in Guangzhou he could have suffered permanent eye damage if the rash had spread towards his eye region.
“I was so scared... the rash then had become blisters. Though there was no pus, the blisters started bleeding,” added the thespian.
He received intravenous treatment for two consecutive days in the hospital, with each session lasting about two to three hours. The treatment helped control the spread of the infection and he was able to continue with his vacation after that.
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. A symptom of shingles is often a burning, severe nerve-related pain, which can sometimes last for weeks.
Low said he was “very lucky” that he only felt itchiness around the affected area and was spared from any pain. But even today, he occasionally feels some tightness and a tingling sensation around his left eye, especially if he has been in the sun for too long.
“It’s been more than 10 years, and I still feel the lingering effect, but thankfully I don’t feel any pain,” he said.
“I later learnt that my friend had a similar condition, also rashes on his face, but he suffered pain for more than a year,” Low shared, adding that his friend did not seek medical attention until much later.
Doctors advise that shingles sufferers should seek treatment within 72 hours of the first symptoms appearing to reduce the pain and shorten the period of infection.
Unlike Low, Chen, 76, felt immense pain when he had shingles more than a decade ago.
“I did not think much about it at the time. I felt fatigue and was feverish. I had been working nonstop, so I thought it was just the flu,” said Chen.
When he noticed rashes around his torso, he thought it was a skin infection, and it was only through his wife’s urging that he went to see a doctor.
Chen described the pain as being bitten by thousands of red ants, and had difficulty sleeping. He recovered after about three weeks.
Among the OG Gang trio, Zhu, 71, is the only one who has been spared so far, but admitted he is “fear” to contract shingles.
Chen joked that it is only a matter of time that Zhu gets it, as he has had a prior chicken pox infection.
According to a March 9 report by the National University of Singapore’s University Health Centre, it is estimated that 80 to 85% of adults would have had chicken pox and 20% of these people would later develop shingles. It is estimated that Singapore has about 30,000 new cases of shingles each year.
While the incidence of shingles increases for those 50 years and older and rises more steeply after 60, younger people are not immune to it.
Zhu shared how his daughter-in-law, who is in her 30s and married to his elder son, film-maker Jonathan Choo, was diagnosed with shingles in April 2025, a month before she was due to deliver her first child.
She had noticed small red spots on her neck and promptly sought medical attention. She worked in tandem with her obstetrician, who prescribed medication that was safe for pregnant women, and she recovered within a week.
“The rash did not spread and she felt no pain too,” said Zhu.
Chen reflected: “Getting shingles taught me not to be stubborn and go seek medical attention as soon as possible. It is very normal for us seniors to just bear with any discomfort or try to self-medicate instead of seeing a doctor.”
He added: “So now I always tell my peers to get help quickly if you feel you are coming down with something. As we age, our immune system is not as strong.”
Zhu stressed: “That’s why we need to ensure we stay active to keep ourselves healthy. I’m also very kiasu; I will go to the doctor whenever I think I’m not feeling well.” - The Straits Times/Asia News Network
