Table 2.
FDA-approved antiviral agents for viral ophthalmic infections.
| Antiviral | Chemical Structure | Mechanism of Action | Target Viruses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trifluridine | Pyrimidine nucleoside | Inhibits thymidylate synthetase | HSV-1, HSV-2, vaccinia virus |
| Vidarabine | Purine nucleoside | Inhibits multiple enzymes (e.g., DNA polymerase) | HSV-1, HSV-2 VZV, CMV, vaccinia virus, pseudorabies virus |
| Acyclovir | Acyclic pyrimidine nucleoside | Viral DNA chain termination; inhibits viral DNA polymerase | HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV, CMV |
| Valaciclovir | 1-Valine ester of acyclovir | Viral DNA chain termination; inhibits viral DNA polymerase | HSV- 1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV, HHV-6, HHV-8, CMV |
| Famciclovir | Acyclic guanine derivative | Viral DNA chain termination; inhibits viral DNA polymerase | HSV- 1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV |
| Ganciclovir | Acyclic pyrimidine nucleoside | Viral DNA chain termination; inhibits viral DNA polymerase | CMV, HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV |
| Valganciclovirn | Monovalent ester of ganciclovir | Viral DNA chain termination; inhibits viral DNA polymerase | CMV, HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV |
| Idoxuridine | Pyrimidine nucleoside | Inhibits viral DNA thymidine uptakes, viral DNA polymerases, and viral DNA incorporation | HSV-1, HSV-2 |
| Cidofovir | Phosphonoformic acid derivative | Inhibits viral DNA polymerases | CMV, VZV, HSV-1, HSV-2 adenovirus, EBV, vaccinia virus |
| Foscarnet | Phosphonoacetic acid derivative | Inhibits viral DNA polymerases and RNA polymerases | CMV, HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV |
| Fomivirsen | Antisense oligonucleotide | Viral mRNA binding | CMV |