Are there any specific antiviral treatments indicated for viral conjunctivitis, or is management primarily supportive?

For most cases of acute (non-herpetic) viral conjunctivitis, management is primarily supportive, and specific antiviral treatments are not indicated ¹. These cases are typically self-limiting and usually resolve within one to two weeks without treatment ¹.

Patients should be advised on self-care measures to ease symptoms, which include bathing or cleaning the eyelids with sterile saline or boiled and cooled water, applying cool compresses, and using lubricating agents or artificial tears ¹. It is important to avoid antibiotic prescription for non-herpetic viral conjunctivitis, as topical antibiotics are not appropriate and may cause adverse reactions ¹.

However, if ocular herpes simplex infection is suspected, this is a specific type of viral conjunctivitis that requires specialist management and may involve antiviral treatment ². All suspected cases of ocular herpes simplex infection should be referred to eye casualty or an emergency eye service for same-day assessment and specialist management ². Drug treatment, such as topical antivirals, should generally not be initiated in primary care while awaiting specialist ophthalmology assessment, unless specialist advice is sought ². Specialist management for ocular herpes simplex may include topical and/or oral antiviral drug treatment for epithelial keratitis ².