Management strategies for patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis.

Each of the available antiviral agents has significant advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of therapy must include consideration of the extent and location of the eye disease, the patient's lifestyle and medical history, and the potential for drug interactions with the many other medications that a patient with advanced AIDS may be receiving. Treatment of CMV retinitis requires the active participation of several dedicated health care providers: the primary care physician, the ophthalmologist, nurses, and social workers. All are integral parts of a clinical treatment team engaged in providing optimal therapy. Most important, it is critical for patients to be involved with their own health care. Patients should be taught to recognize early signs of decreased vision and should be involved in important decision-making steps for their own treatment.