Patients with an acute zonal occult outer retinopathy-like illness rapidly improve with valacyclovir treatment.

Abstract

To describe 3 cases of an acute zonal occult outer retinopathy-like illness responsive to valacyclovir hydrochloride. Retrospective, interventional case series. Three patients were treated with valacyclovir and monitored by clinical examination, Goldmann visual field testing, and electroretinography. Patients with an acute zonal occult outer retinopathy-like illness presented following progressive vision loss. This course was immediately reversed by treatment with oral valacyclovir, and visual acuity and visual field improved significantly at 1 week and 1 month. Patients remained stable without treatment during a follow-up period ranging from 1 to 3 years. Some conditions with features of acute zonal occult outer retinopathy may be attributable to a subacute herpetic viral infection that is responsive to oral antiviral medication.