Acyclovir in the treatment of herpetic keratitis

Fourty-three eyes with active dendritic keratitis, nearly one third of which had failed to respond to other antiviral agents, were treated with acyclovir with or without preceding debridement. The patients were randomly selected. No statistical difference could be demonstrated between the 2 groups in terms of rate of healing or in efficacy of cure. Acyclovir also seemed to be effective in stromal corneal lesions. There were only minor side effects.