Antiviral Eye Drops - Treatment for Viral Eye Infections

Antiviral eye drops are medications formulated to treat viral eye infections such as conjunctivitis (pink eye). They contain antiviral agents that help reduce viral replication and alleviate symptoms of eye infections.
Category
Medication
Where to get
Available by prescription from healthcare providers and pharmacies for the treatment of viral eye infections.
Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Antiviral Eye Drops FAQ


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What antiviral agents are available for viral eye disease?

This article provides an overview of what antiviral agents are available for these conditions, detailing their regimen and evidence that supports their use. Aciclovir – either as topical eye ointment or systemic tablets – is still the first-line antiviral in the treatment of many viral eye diseases around the world, including here in Nepal.

What are ophthalmic antivirals?

Ophthalmic antivirals are medications for treating viral eye infections and the resultant inflammation. Ophthalmic antiviral medications include drugs that inhibit viral replication, and fluorinated corticosteroids that inhibit inflammation and relieve symptoms. Corticosteroids are fluorinated to achieve better absorption into the eye.

How do ophthalmic antiviral drugs work?

Ophthalmic antiviral drugs penetrate the virus-infected cell, get incorporated into the DNA and prevent its replication. Each antiviral medication works on different enzymes that the virus requires to synthesize DNA and replicate itself. Corticosteroids relieve symptoms by inhibiting the infected eye’s inflammatory responses such as:

Which antiviral drugs are used in ocular infections of viral etiology?

Important advances have been made in antiviral chemotherapy. Nine systemic drugs (vidarabine, aciclovir, famciclovir, valaciclovir, ganciclovir, valganciclovir, cidofovir, foscarnet, and fomivirsen) and four topical agents (idoxuridine, vidarabine, trifluridine, and aciclovir) are exploited in ocular infections of viral etiology.

Antiviral Eye Drops References

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