Stereochemically defined dipeptide esters of nucleoside-analogous antiviral agents including acyclovir and ganciclovir are provided. Certain of these stereochemically defined dipeptide esters are found to have unexpectedly enhanced delivery to and uptake by ocular tissues, crossing the blood-ocular barrier more effectively than other stereochemically defined dipeptide esters. For example, (L-Val)-(D-Val)-acyclovir was found to be taken up more effectively into corneal tissue than were underivatized acyclovir, monoesters (L-Val)-acyclovir or (D-Val)-acyclovir, or diester (L-Val)-(L-Val)-acyclovir.