Topical immunoglobulins for epithelial herpes simplex keratitis.

A new immunoglobulin preparation for topical administration in the eye has been developed. The tolerance to this preparation was tested in a phase I/II study, in combination with the antiviral drug trifluorothymidine, in 5 patients with untreated episodes of herpes simplex epithelial keratitis. The clinical course of these patients was within usual limits, with a mean healing time of 6.6 days (range 2-15 days). No undesirable effects were observed. Our findings suggest that this new treatment modality is safe and offers a new perspective, but additional studies are required to determine its efficacy.