INFLUENCE OF ORAL ACYCLOVIR ON OCULAR COMPLICATIONS OF HERPES-ZOSTER OPHTHALMICUS

The role of oral acyclovir (ACV) in the management of immunocompetent patients with herpes zoster ophthalmicus remains controversial. We hav e performed a retrospective, comparative, case-control sutdy of cases seen in the Zoster Clinic at Moorfields Eye Hospital over the last 5 y ears. A standard proforma was used during this period to collect data on the rash, ocular involvement and treatmetn. There were 419 immunoco mpetent patients of whom 77 were treated with oral ACV prior to attend ing the clinic. We compared these with paired controls matched for age , sex and severity of rash. No difference in the rate of ocular compli cations between treated and untreated patients could be detected. This suggests that oral ACV as currently prescribed has little or no preve ntative effect on the ocular complications of ophthalmic zoster.