Toxicity of intravitreal injection of foscarnet in the rabbit eye.

Foscarnet (sodium phosphonoformate) is an antiviral with a high degree of efficacy against members of the herpes simplex virus family. We studied the toxicity of single doses of intravitreally administered foscarnet in the albino rabbit. Eyes were evaluated clinically and by light microscopy. Data demonstrated that doses ranging from 20 to 1000 micrograms per 0.1 milliliter are nontoxic to the retina, suggesting that foscarnet may be useful in the treatment of acute retinal necrosis and cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.