How is ocular herpes treated?
Fortunately, we now have several effective approaches for treating all forms of this disease. 1. The infectious ulcers are treated either with antiviral eye drops or pills over a two to three week period. In some patients, both are used. 2. The sterile ulcers are often treated with lubricating/antibiotic eyedrops and a therapeutic contact lens, which is placed by the physician and left in place for weeks to months. The patient does not need to do anything to the lens. 3 + 4. The immune or allergic haze and/or the iritis are treated with steroid drops and protective antiviral (pill or drop) and antibiotic (drop or ointment) coverage. Although package inserts for steroids say they should not be used in treating herpes, there are, in fact, certain inflammatory forms of ocular herpes where steroids are needed and indicated. 5. For those relatively few eyes where, despite the best of treatment, the virus has caused vision-impairing scars, corneal transplantation surgery is often a highly su
