[Oral acyclovir therapy of virologically proven intraocular herpes simplex virus infections]

Three patients with severe intraocular herpetic disease (focal serous iritis, endotheliitis, trabeculitis) were treated with oral acyclovir. Inflammatory signs subsided promptly although only low-dose steroid eye drops were administered in addition to antiviral therapy. Normally, the viral etiology of suspected intraocular herpetic disease remains equivocal because virologic proof is lacking. In these three cases, however, herpes simplex virus was isolated from the aqueous humor before initiation of therapy, and the viral nature of the diseases treated could thus be proven.