Proflavine and light in the treatment of experimental herpetic ocular infections.

The effect of purified proflavine and light exposure was assessed in rabbits whose eyes had been infected with one of two strains of herpesvirus. In comparing proflavine-light and placebo-light treatment, 0.1% proflavine administered twice daily for 5 days had a significant effect in suppressing herpetic eye disease, but 0.05% proflavine was less effective. In addition to being effective in infections with either virus strain, the 0.1% proflavine also suppressed intensity of corneal epithelial ulceration and stromal opacity in animals pretreated with subconjunctival corticosteroids to produce more severe disease. Proflavine or idoxuridine (IDU) alone or in combination showed no differences in suppressing herpetic ocular disease, but all were significantly more effective than placebo. Virus recovery rates were approximately the same from eyes treated with proflavine, IDU, or placebo, indicating that viral replication in the cornea and conjunctiva was not completely suppressed by either of the antiviral drugs alone or in combination.