A Study of the Safety and Tolerance of Long-Term Therapy With Intravenous Cytovene (Ganciclovir Sodium) for Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in Persons With AIDS

Inclusion Criteria Concurrent Medication: Allowed: * Topical acyclovir. * Selected cytokines. * Allowed after the first 4 weeks of ganciclovir: * Zidovudine (AZT) at a reduced dose (500 mg/day) in patients who have tolerated ganciclovir without grade 3/4 hematological toxicity. * Other anti-retrovirals after consultation with the Syntex study monitor. Patients must have the following: * AIDS and newly diagnosed Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. * An understanding of the nature of the study, agreement to its provisions, and willingness to sign the informed consent approved by the appropriate institutions review board, and Syntex. Exclusion Criteria Co-existing Condition: Patients with the following conditions or symptoms are excluded: * Have only peripheral CMV retinitis (defined as a lesion outside the major temporal vascular arcades, greater than 1500 microns from the optic disk, or greater than 3000 microns from the fovea). * Ocular media opacities (corneal, lenticular, or vitreal) preventing ophthalmologic retinal assessment. * Ocular conditions requiring immediate surgical correction (eg: * retinal tear or detachment). * Demonstrated hypersensitivity to acyclovir or ganciclovir. * Dementia, decreased mentation or other encephalopathic signs and symptoms which would interfere with the ability of the patient to comply with the protocol. Concurrent Medication: Excluded: * Antimetabolites. * Alkylating agents. * Nucleoside analogs (excluding selected anti-retroviral agents). * Imipenem-cilastatin. * Interferons. * Selected cytokines. * Acyclovir (except topical acyclovir). Patients with the following are excluded: * Have only peripheral CMV retinitis (defined as a lesion outside the major temporal vascular arcades, greater than 1500 microns from the optic disk or greater than 3000 microns from the fovea). * Concomitant conditions or diseases described in Exclusion Co-Existing Conditions. Prior Medication: Excluded within 1 month of study entry: * Previous treatment with anti-cytomegalovirus therapy (e.g., ganciclovir, foscarnet or CMV hyperimmune globulin).