Aciclovir and corneal wound healing.

Masked controlled rabbit studies were done to determine the toxic effects on corneal wound healing of the antiviral drugs 3% aciclovir and 0.5% idoxuridine ointment in therapeutically effective concentrations. Aciclovir had no significant detrimental effect in comparison to controls on the quality of regenerating epithelium or the re-epithelialization of epithelial wounds. Idoxuridine treatment caused significant toxic changes in the regenerating epithelium clinically and histologically with a significant delay in epithelial wound healing in comparison to control or aciclovir treated eyes. Aciclovir had no significant effect on the collagen content of stromal wounds as measured by hydroxyproline levels. Idoxuridine caused a reduction in collagen content not significantly different from controls but significantly lower than aciclovir.