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Current antiviral agents treat HSV epithelial keratitis about the same
Current topical ophthalmic and oral antiviral agents are about equally effective in treating active epithelial keratitis, according to a review of the literature.
K.R. Wilhelmus reviewed data from 97 randomized trials that included a total of 5,102 patients with herpes simplex virus epithelial keratitis. Topical applications of vidarabine, trifluridine or acyclovir generally resulted in a significantly greater proportion of participants healing within 1 week of treatment than patients prescribed idoxuridine, according to the review. Among the three antiviral agents, none emerged as significantly better for the treatment of dendritic epithelial keratitis.
Interferon monotherapy had a slight beneficial effect on dendritic epithelial keratitis, but not better than other antiviral agents.
The analysis is published in The Cochrane Review.