Acyclovir 3% Eye prep
Indications
Acyclovir 3% Eye prep is used for:
Herpes simplex keratitis
Adult Dose
As 3% Eye oint: Apply 5 times/day until 3rd day of complete healing.
Child Dose
Renal Dose
Administration
Contra Indications
Hypersensitivity.
Precautions
Renal impairment. Pregnancy, lactation. Neurological abnormalities with significant hypoxia, serious hepatic or electrolyte abnormalities. Maintain adequate hydration.
Pregnancy-Lactation
Pregnancy
A prospective epidemiologic registry of acyclovir use from 1984-1999 reported birth defects in women exposed to systemic acyclovir during the first trimester of pregnancy
Likewise, oral and SC administration of acyclovir to pregnant mice, rats, and rabbits during organogenesis did not produce teratogenicity at clinically relevant doses
Lactation
Acyclovir concentrations reported in breast milk following oral administration of acyclovir
There is no information regarding presence of acyclovir in human milk following ocular administration, effects on the breastfed infant, or effects on milk production
Consider the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding along with the mother’s clinical need for the drug, and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from the drug or from the underlying maternal condition
Interactions
Probenecid, cimetidine and mycophenolate mofetil may increase the plasma concentration of aciclovir. Increased nephrotoxic effects w/ drugs that affect renal physiology (e.g. ciclosporin, tacrolimus).
Adverse Effects
Side effects of Acyclovir 3% Eye prep :
Eye application may produce stinging, superficial punctate keratopathy, blepharitis or conjunctivitis.
Mechanism of Action
Activity against HSV types I and II and varicella-zoster virus is due to intracellular conversion of aciclovir to the monophosphate by viral thymidine kinase with subsequent conversion to the diphosphate and active triphosphate by cellular enzymes. This active form inhibits viral DNA synthesis and replication by interfering with viral DNA polymerase enzyme and being incorporated into viral DNA.