Treatment:

The goal of treatment is to stabilize or restore vision and prevent blindness. Long-term treatment is often needed. Medications may be given by mouth (orally), through a vein (intravenously), or injected directly into the eye (intraviteously).

Expectations (prognosis):

The disease will sometimes get worse, even with treatment, because antiviral medications stop the spread of the virus but do not destroy it.

Complications:

• Blindness
• Kidney impairment (from drugs used to treat the condition)
• Low white blood cell count (from drugs used to treat the condition)
• Retinal detachment

Calling your health care provider:

If symptoms worsen or do not improve with treatment, or if new symptoms develop, call your health care provider.

People with AIDS (especially those with a very low CD4 count) who have vision problems should make an appointment for an immediate eye exam and should consider taking preventive treatment for CMV retinitis.