AIM: To investigate the effect of ganciclovir ophthalmic gel on viral keratitis.

METHODS: Eighty-six cases(101 eyes)with viral keratitis in our hospital from May 2013 to October 2014 were randomly selected as the research subjects and were divided into the ganciclovir group and the control group, the patients in ganciclovir group were given ganciclovir ophthalmic gel and those in control group were given aciclovir eye drops. The curative effect were observed after 2wk.

RESULTS: After treatment, the symptoms of viral keratitis(photophobia, tears, pain, foreign body sensation)and the signs(ciliary congestion, corneal epithelial defect, corneal stromal edema, corneal fluorescein staining)scores of the two groups were significantly improved than before treatment, those of ganciclovir group were improved more obviously(P<0.05). The efficiency of the ganciclovir group(92.9%)was significantly higher than that of the control group(59.5%)with statistical significance(P<0.05). There was no statistical difference between the two groups of patients with adverse reactions(P>0.05). The recurrence rate of ganciclovir group was significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.05)

CONCLUSION: Ganciclovir ophthalmic gel is a safe and effective antiviral eye drops, has exact effect on viral keratitis, and is worth of clinical application.