Your Rx and Your Vision
For a list of some common drugs that may affect your vision, click here.
According to the US Government, about half of all U.S. women and 40 percent of U.S. men are currently using, or have recently, used a prescription drug. In fact, people are taking more medications than ever before. In 2003, Americans spent nearly $180 billion on prescription drugs, and an additional $24 billion on over-the-counter medications, and that number is continuing to rise. While these drugs are designed to help us live longer and healthier lives, they can also have negative side effects. It is important to be aware many medications or nutritional supplements can negatively affect your vision.
The terms "medication" and "drug" can be defined in many different ways. A medication or drug may be:
- A prescription from your doctor
- An over-the-counter product (such as aspirin or cold tablets)
- A nutritional supplement (such as Ginkgo Biloba or St. John’s Wort)
- A vitamin or mineral supplement ( such as Vitamin A or Niacin)
It is important to be aware many medications or nutritional supplements can negatively affect your vision. This is due to the fact that the human eye is small and has a rich blood supply. These two factors combined make the eye very susceptible to negative side effects from medications.
Some medications create a change in the quantity of your vision. In other words, they impact how much you can see. These drugs may cause your vision to become blurry or you may have difficulty getting your eyes to focus. Other drugs may change the quality of your vision; they impact how well you can see. These drugs may cause you to become overly sensitive to bright lights, or to have trouble getting your eyes to adjust when going from bright lights to dark (or vice versa).
A more serious complication from certain drugs is a physical change in the eye itself that may ultimately lead to loss of sight, such as cataracts or glaucoma. For example, some medications can cause the eye to become more susceptible to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which can lead to long term damage of the eye. You can minimize your risk by wearing high quality sunglasses when outdoors, and eyeglasses with specially treated lenses while indoors. Your local Doctors Vision Center eye care specialist can help you choose protective eyewear that is best suited to your needs and lifestyle.
It is important to keep your DVC doctor informed of all the medications and supplements that you are taking. There may be times when your doctors agree that it is best for you to continue taking certain medications in spite of the negative side effects. You should never stop taking a medication prescribed by your doctor unless he tells you to do so. Only your doctor can tell you if it is safe for you to stop, reduce or change the amount of medication that you are taking.
Always remember that the key to maintaining healthy sight is to schedule regular eye exams and to protect your eyes from injury and sun damage by wearing the appropriate eyewear. And remember, if your vision has undergone a sudden or noticeable change, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible. Be sure to tell her about all medications and supplements that you are taking.
