Prophylactic perioperative antiviral therapy for LASIK in patients with inactive herpetic keratitis.

PURPOSE: To report the outcome of LASIK in patients with inactive herpetic keratitis in which perioperative antiviral prophylaxis was used to prevent the recurrence of ocular herpes.

METHODS: We report an uncontrolled series of five patients with inactive herpetic keratitis for at least 1 year before surgery in whom LASIK was successfully performed. All patients showed normal topography, pachymetry, and corneal sensitivity with no central corneal scarring. Perioperative prophylaxis was used in each case with oral valacyclovir and topical acyclovir ointment.

RESULTS: None of the eyes developed reactivation of herpetic keratitis during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that perioperative antiviral prophylaxis may protect the cornea from herpes simplex virus reactivation after LASIK.