[Acyclovir treatment--its effect on visual acuity and the rate of recurrences in herpetic keratitis]

We treated a number of 141 patients suffering of herpetic keratitis--34 were treated with Acyclovir in the first 72 hours the symptoms started, 42 were treated with Acyclovir after this interval and 65 were treated with IDU. We compared visual acuity after six month and we proved that those that were treated with Acyclovir had the same or better visual performances in most cases. Recurrence rate was 0% in the first year and 2.94% in the second year for those witch were treated with Acyclovir in the first 72 hours symptoms started and 2.94% in the first year and 14.71% in the second year for those treated with Acyclovir after this interval. Patients treated with IDU had suffered 23.53% recurrences in the first year and 41.18% recurrences in the second year. Acyclovir treatment and its precociousness protect patients sight and reduce number of recurrences.