Long-term Intravitreal Ganciclovir for Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in a Patient With AIDS

Abstract

<h3>To the Editor.</h3> —Intravenous ganciclovir (dihydroxy-propoxymethyl-guanine, BW B759U) has shown promising results in the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), although serious side effects may prevent its use.^1,2Recently, intravitreal ganciclovir was reported to be effective as a short-term treatment in one case.³Following is a report of one case in which this treatment stabilized the disease and maintained visual acuity near 1.0, thus preserving the patient's autonomy for over nine months. <h3>Report of a Case.</h3> —A homosexual male patient 38 years of age was diagnosed as having AIDS in November 1985, when he developed<i>Pneumocystis carinii</i>pneumonia. In March 1987, bilateral CMV retinitis involving the posterior pole and the disc in the right eye and a large sector on the nasal periphery in the left eye was diagnosed by its typical ophthalmoscopic appearance. Visual acuity was 0.05 OD and 1.5 OS.