A case of recurrent viral retinitis treated with intravitreal antiviral agents in a silicone oil filled eye.

Objective: To report a case of recurrent acute retinal necrosis (ARN) in an eye filled with silicone oil previously complicated by rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Methods: A 68-year-old gentlemen with successfully treated herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) ARN complicated by RRD requiring pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with silicone oil tamponade, presented with a relapse of ARN with silicone oil in situ. Remission of recurrent retinitis was achieved using combined systemic oral and intravitreal antiviral therapy.

Conclusions: RRD is a significant complication of ARN which may require surgery with silicone oil tamponade. Recurrence of ARN retinitis can be effectively treated with intravitreal Ganciclovir and Foscarnet injections in a silicone oil filled eye with concurrent oral antiviral therapy. Aqueous humour sampling proved useful in the monitoring of disease activity.