Treatment Options

Three drugs have been approved for the treatment of CMV retinitis: foscarnet, cidofovir and gancyclovir. All three can slow down the progression of CMV, although they cannot cure the illness.

Until recently, all anti-CMV drugs had to be given by intravenous infusion, which means into a vein. New approaches are now being tested, however:

• Oral treatments:
  Different formulations of gancyclovir are now in use. Their safety and effectiveness are under study.

• Implants:
  A gancyclovir implant is also being used to deliver highly localized dosages to fight CMV in the eye. To do this a sustained-release pellet of gancyclovir is placed within the vitreous. An injectable drug called Vitravene is also available.

• If CMV retinitis leads to retinal detachment, a vitrectomy – combined with laser surgery and placing silicone oil in the eye – can reattach the retina and prevent further loss of vision. If the retinal detachment is small, laser treatment alone can be effective.