Drugs Harmful to the Eyes
The human body is an organic unit with its tissues and organs interrelated and mutually dependent. Therefore, the health of the eyes, being the optical organ of the body, can influence, and be influenced by, any and every other organ in the body. Therefore when medications are taken for conditions of the body, they often have visual side effects
For all drugs that make you more sensitive to light, a good pair of sunglasses is a must to be used that blocks out 100 per cent of the ultra-violet rays. In addition, you should be such taking antioxidants as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, selenium, alpha lipoic acid and lutein, which are important in helping reduce the possible side effects of the medications.
The following is a review of the most common medications taken in the United States and their potential effects on the eyes:
Retina Damage | Eye Hemorrhage | Glaucoma | Cataracts & Macular Degeneration
Dry Eyes | Light Sensitivity | Allergic Conjunctivitis | Blood Clotting | Changes to Cornea
These drugs can also damage the retina:
Plaquenil (hydroxchloriquine sulfate) is a drug routinely prescribed by rheumatologists for rheumatoid arthritis. It has caused irreversible retinal damage.
Clonidine (brand name catapres) ? is used to lower blood pressure
Thioridazine ? fights infections but can cause pigmentary retinopathy
The whole family of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can cause visual side effects such as cataracts, dry eyes, and retinal hemorrhages that may result from long-term use. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Bayer, Aleve), flurbiprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen sodium. Also Tylenol (acetaminophen), though not an NSAID, can be harmful.
Drugs that can cause eye hemorrhage:
NSAIDS including over-the-counter pain relievers
Venlafaxine ? an antidepressant
Amphotericin B ? an antibiotic
Cholesterase inhibitors ? often used for Alzheimer?s
Pentoxifylline ? for blood clotting
Heparin, coumadin, anisidione, oral anti-coagulants
Drugs that can cause glaucoma and/or damage the optic nerve:
NSAID?s
Venlafaxine
Steroids - cortisone prescriptions such as Prednisone are the most damaging drugs to the eyes of any prescription drugs. If you must take any of these drugs, be sure to supplement your diet with anti-oxidants such as vitamins E and C, and beta-carotene. Ask your doctor if you can replace Prednisone with a natural cortisone such as hydrocortisone.
Simvastatin
Fenfluramine
Mirtazapine
Gastic antispasmodics
Antidepressants
These drugs can cause or worsen cataracts:
Photosensitizing drugs (drugs that make you more sensitive to the sun) are drugs that absorb light energy and undergo a photochemical reaction resulting in chemical modification of tissue. They can make you more susceptible to cataracts and macular degeneration. The following is a list of those drugs:
Antihistamines
Birth control pills
Tranquilizers
Sulfa drugs
Oral anti-diabetic drugs
Antidepressants
NSAIDS (for example aspirin, ibuprofen, advil, meclofen)
Steroids - may produce posterior subcapsular cataracts. Steroids work by mimicking the action of the body's own hormones to help control inflammation. They are usually prescribed for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease,and lupus. Long- term steroid use can cause posterior subcapsular cataracts and increases in intraocular pressure. These cataracts will develop in up to 50 per cent of people taking 10 to 15 milligrams of prednisone daily for one to two years. These cataracts are very dense and can cause a rapid loss of vision. They will not go away even after you stop the medication and will have to be surgically removed. Though not as common as cataracts, sustained treatment of steroids can cause a rise in intraocular pressure leading to glaucoma, though after the steroid use is stopped the intraocular pressure will return to normal. The bad news is any damage done by the rise in pressure will remain. Steroid use can also indirectly damage the eye by causing an increase in blood sugar therefore causing diabetes. If you must take steroids make sure you take high doses of anti-oxidants such as alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E , and lutein to help prevent cataract formation.
Fluroquinone, terbinafine, mefloquine type antibiotics
Glucocorticoids (Prednisone)
Eretinate, isoretinoin
Drugs that can cause dry eye symptoms (see further down on page for more details on how each of these drugs effect the body)
Antibiotics
Blood pressure medications
Antidepressants
Antihistamines
Birth control pills
Appetite suppressants
Drugs that can cause light sensitivity (see further down on page for more details on how each of these drugs effect the body)
Certain antibiotics
Anti-malarial drugs
Antihistamines
Blood pressure medications
Digoxin - is used for heart failure or heart irregularity
Photosensitizing drugs -see ?Drugs that cause cataracts? above.
Drugs that can cause allergic conjunctivitis:
Antibiotics - when antibiotics are given for eye problems topically they may have the side effect of causing an allergic conjunctivitis (red eye). Systemic antibiotics taken orally, intramuscularly, or intravenously to help with bacterial infections may cause some visual symptoms. For example: 1. Synthetic penicillins (amoxicillin and ampicillin)- a person taking these may experience some mild redness of the eyes, itching and dry eyes. In rare cases they have been shown to cause hemorrhages of the blood vessels in the conjunctiva and in the retina 2. Tetracycline- similar to the above plus light sensitivity and blurred vision 3. Sulfonamides - many people are allergic to "sulfa drugs". This can cause blurred vision, light sensitivity and hemorrhages in the eye.
Note Whenever taking antibiotics make sure you take probiotics such as acidophilus or bifidus and vitamin C to help ward off some of the side effects of the antibiotics.
Drugs that can cause blood clotting and harm the blood flow to the eyes:
Androgen replacement with synthetic hormones
Estrogen
Drugs that can cause changes to the cornea:
Anti-malarial drugs including Chloroquine, quinacrine, and hydroxychloroquine can cause changes in the cornea. Symptoms such as halos around lights, glare and light sensitivity may occur. There is no change in the person's visual acuity. Once drug therapy is stopped both subjective symptoms and objective corneal signs disappear.
Other drugs that can cause a variety of eye problems:
Blood pressure medications ? causes your body to excrete excess fluid. What this means for your blood vessels is less fluid. But in the eyes less fluid means dry eyes, light sensitivity, possible blurred and/or double vision in some people. Beta-blockers are sometimes used to reduce high blood pressure. They can reduce blood pressure by slowing the kidney's production of a protein called renin . Renin normally causes the release of a powerful blood vessel constrictor called angiotensin II , which makes it harder for blood to flow through the arteries (thus raising blood pressure) and also causes secretion of hormones that cause water retention (which increases the amount of fluid in the blood). The names of common beta-blockers are Inderal and Tenormin
Digoxin - is used for heart failure or heart irregularity. Common visual side effects are color vision changes You may experience light flashes, blind spots and light sensitivity.
Antidepressants - these type of medications change how information is processed in the nerves in the brain. Therefore any medication that affects neurological function can affect vision. For example: 1. Prozac- may cause dilated pupils, double vision, blurred vision and dry eyes. It can also cause eye pain, eye lid infection (blepharitis), cataracts, glaucoma, ptosis (eyelid droop) and an inflammation of the iris (iritis). These side effects can only be avoided by discontinuing the medication, so if your taking Prozac be aware that these visual symptoms are normal when taking this drug 2. Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, desipramine,imipramine, and nortriptyline) - these drugs may cause such visual effects as loss of the ability to focus up close, dilated pupils, double vision, and dry eyes. 3. Valium - may cause red eyes, involuntary eye twitching and some paralysis of the eye muscles. 4. Zoloft- has very few visual side effects
Antihistamines - just as these medications have a drying effect on your nose, it does that to the eyes also. This gives you the visual symptoms of light sensitivity and dry eyes. In rare instances it may make your pupils dilate or become unequal in size. If so report this to your doctor.
Appetite suppressants (amphetamines, dextroamphetamines, methaamphetamines, and phenmetrazine compounds) - these may give the following visual side effects: dilated pupils, difficulty focusing the eyes, difficulty converging the eyes when reading.
Birth Control Pills - women taking birth control pills have a higher incidence of migraine headaches, problems with contact lenses due to dry eyes, and color vision disturbances.
NOTE: Any time a side effect of dilated pupils is found that can increase your susceptibility to narrow angle glaucoma
Overuse of what is considered ?harmless? drugs can be harmful to the body and eyes. When these are used excessively, they can produce photosensitivity, dry eyes, corneal deposits, gastrointestinal tract damage and even cataracts.
Two other classes of drugs that are over prescribed and overused are antibiotics and diuretics, which can disrupt that natural chemistry & fluid balance of the eyes.
Note: Do not change your schedule of taking any prescribed medications before discussing this with your medical doctor first.
http://www.naturaleyecare.com/prev-harm.asp
The human body is an organic unit with its tissues and organs interrelated and mutually dependent. Therefore, the health of the eyes, being the optical organ of the body, can influence, and be influenced by, any and every other organ in the body. Therefore when medications are taken for conditions of the body, they often have visual side effects
For all drugs that make you more sensitive to light, a good pair of sunglasses is a must to be used that blocks out 100 per cent of the ultra-violet rays. In addition, you should be such taking antioxidants as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, selenium, alpha lipoic acid and lutein, which are important in helping reduce the possible side effects of the medications.
The following is a review of the most common medications taken in the United States and their potential effects on the eyes:
Retina Damage | Eye Hemorrhage | Glaucoma | Cataracts & Macular Degeneration
Dry Eyes | Light Sensitivity | Allergic Conjunctivitis | Blood Clotting | Changes to Cornea
These drugs can also damage the retina:
Plaquenil (hydroxchloriquine sulfate) is a drug routinely prescribed by rheumatologists for rheumatoid arthritis. It has caused irreversible retinal damage.
Clonidine (brand name catapres) ? is used to lower blood pressure
Thioridazine ? fights infections but can cause pigmentary retinopathy
The whole family of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can cause visual side effects such as cataracts, dry eyes, and retinal hemorrhages that may result from long-term use. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Bayer, Aleve), flurbiprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen sodium. Also Tylenol (acetaminophen), though not an NSAID, can be harmful.
Drugs that can cause eye hemorrhage:
NSAIDS including over-the-counter pain relievers
Venlafaxine ? an antidepressant
Amphotericin B ? an antibiotic
Cholesterase inhibitors ? often used for Alzheimer?s
Pentoxifylline ? for blood clotting
Heparin, coumadin, anisidione, oral anti-coagulants
Drugs that can cause glaucoma and/or damage the optic nerve:
NSAID?s
Venlafaxine
Steroids - cortisone prescriptions such as Prednisone are the most damaging drugs to the eyes of any prescription drugs. If you must take any of these drugs, be sure to supplement your diet with anti-oxidants such as vitamins E and C, and beta-carotene. Ask your doctor if you can replace Prednisone with a natural cortisone such as hydrocortisone.
Simvastatin
Fenfluramine
Mirtazapine
Gastic antispasmodics
Antidepressants
These drugs can cause or worsen cataracts:
Photosensitizing drugs (drugs that make you more sensitive to the sun) are drugs that absorb light energy and undergo a photochemical reaction resulting in chemical modification of tissue. They can make you more susceptible to cataracts and macular degeneration. The following is a list of those drugs:
Antihistamines
Birth control pills
Tranquilizers
Sulfa drugs
Oral anti-diabetic drugs
Antidepressants
NSAIDS (for example aspirin, ibuprofen, advil, meclofen)
Steroids - may produce posterior subcapsular cataracts. Steroids work by mimicking the action of the body's own hormones to help control inflammation. They are usually prescribed for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease,and lupus. Long- term steroid use can cause posterior subcapsular cataracts and increases in intraocular pressure. These cataracts will develop in up to 50 per cent of people taking 10 to 15 milligrams of prednisone daily for one to two years. These cataracts are very dense and can cause a rapid loss of vision. They will not go away even after you stop the medication and will have to be surgically removed. Though not as common as cataracts, sustained treatment of steroids can cause a rise in intraocular pressure leading to glaucoma, though after the steroid use is stopped the intraocular pressure will return to normal. The bad news is any damage done by the rise in pressure will remain. Steroid use can also indirectly damage the eye by causing an increase in blood sugar therefore causing diabetes. If you must take steroids make sure you take high doses of anti-oxidants such as alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E , and lutein to help prevent cataract formation.
Fluroquinone, terbinafine, mefloquine type antibiotics
Glucocorticoids (Prednisone)
Eretinate, isoretinoin
Drugs that can cause dry eye symptoms (see further down on page for more details on how each of these drugs effect the body)
Antibiotics
Blood pressure medications
Antidepressants
Antihistamines
Birth control pills
Appetite suppressants
Drugs that can cause light sensitivity (see further down on page for more details on how each of these drugs effect the body)
Certain antibiotics
Anti-malarial drugs
Antihistamines
Blood pressure medications
Digoxin - is used for heart failure or heart irregularity
Photosensitizing drugs -see ?Drugs that cause cataracts? above.
Drugs that can cause allergic conjunctivitis:
Antibiotics - when antibiotics are given for eye problems topically they may have the side effect of causing an allergic conjunctivitis (red eye). Systemic antibiotics taken orally, intramuscularly, or intravenously to help with bacterial infections may cause some visual symptoms. For example: 1. Synthetic penicillins (amoxicillin and ampicillin)- a person taking these may experience some mild redness of the eyes, itching and dry eyes. In rare cases they have been shown to cause hemorrhages of the blood vessels in the conjunctiva and in the retina 2. Tetracycline- similar to the above plus light sensitivity and blurred vision 3. Sulfonamides - many people are allergic to "sulfa drugs". This can cause blurred vision, light sensitivity and hemorrhages in the eye.
Note Whenever taking antibiotics make sure you take probiotics such as acidophilus or bifidus and vitamin C to help ward off some of the side effects of the antibiotics.
Drugs that can cause blood clotting and harm the blood flow to the eyes:
Androgen replacement with synthetic hormones
Estrogen
Drugs that can cause changes to the cornea:
Anti-malarial drugs including Chloroquine, quinacrine, and hydroxychloroquine can cause changes in the cornea. Symptoms such as halos around lights, glare and light sensitivity may occur. There is no change in the person's visual acuity. Once drug therapy is stopped both subjective symptoms and objective corneal signs disappear.
Other drugs that can cause a variety of eye problems:
Blood pressure medications ? causes your body to excrete excess fluid. What this means for your blood vessels is less fluid. But in the eyes less fluid means dry eyes, light sensitivity, possible blurred and/or double vision in some people. Beta-blockers are sometimes used to reduce high blood pressure. They can reduce blood pressure by slowing the kidney's production of a protein called renin . Renin normally causes the release of a powerful blood vessel constrictor called angiotensin II , which makes it harder for blood to flow through the arteries (thus raising blood pressure) and also causes secretion of hormones that cause water retention (which increases the amount of fluid in the blood). The names of common beta-blockers are Inderal and Tenormin
Digoxin - is used for heart failure or heart irregularity. Common visual side effects are color vision changes You may experience light flashes, blind spots and light sensitivity.
Antidepressants - these type of medications change how information is processed in the nerves in the brain. Therefore any medication that affects neurological function can affect vision. For example: 1. Prozac- may cause dilated pupils, double vision, blurred vision and dry eyes. It can also cause eye pain, eye lid infection (blepharitis), cataracts, glaucoma, ptosis (eyelid droop) and an inflammation of the iris (iritis). These side effects can only be avoided by discontinuing the medication, so if your taking Prozac be aware that these visual symptoms are normal when taking this drug 2. Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, desipramine,imipramine, and nortriptyline) - these drugs may cause such visual effects as loss of the ability to focus up close, dilated pupils, double vision, and dry eyes. 3. Valium - may cause red eyes, involuntary eye twitching and some paralysis of the eye muscles. 4. Zoloft- has very few visual side effects
Antihistamines - just as these medications have a drying effect on your nose, it does that to the eyes also. This gives you the visual symptoms of light sensitivity and dry eyes. In rare instances it may make your pupils dilate or become unequal in size. If so report this to your doctor.
Appetite suppressants (amphetamines, dextroamphetamines, methaamphetamines, and phenmetrazine compounds) - these may give the following visual side effects: dilated pupils, difficulty focusing the eyes, difficulty converging the eyes when reading.
Birth Control Pills - women taking birth control pills have a higher incidence of migraine headaches, problems with contact lenses due to dry eyes, and color vision disturbances.
NOTE: Any time a side effect of dilated pupils is found that can increase your susceptibility to narrow angle glaucoma
Overuse of what is considered ?harmless? drugs can be harmful to the body and eyes. When these are used excessively, they can produce photosensitivity, dry eyes, corneal deposits, gastrointestinal tract damage and even cataracts.
Two other classes of drugs that are over prescribed and overused are antibiotics and diuretics, which can disrupt that natural chemistry & fluid balance of the eyes.
Note: Do not change your schedule of taking any prescribed medications before discussing this with your medical doctor first.
http://www.naturaleyecare.com/prev-harm.asp
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