Medications reduce or prevent symptoms caused by many medical factors. These medicines almost always have one or more side effects or complications. In most cases these are fairly non-specific and mild symptoms, but sometimes the use of certain medications causes mild to serious eye abnormalities. The patient always discusses his medical history with the doctor because this allows the doctor to know which medicine to prescribe and to take into account possible related side effects.
- Alpha blockers
- Antiarrhythmic drugs
- Anticholinergics
- Antihistamines
- Anti-malarial drugs
- Anticoagulants
- Bisphosphonates
- Corticosteroids
- Tranquilizers
- Vitamin A
Alpha blockers
Function
The treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension) and urinary problems in men who suffer from prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia) is done with alpha blockers.
Eyes
Alpha blockers may be associated with intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome, an eye condition that occurs during cataract surgery. The drug affects the smooth dilating muscles of the iris, causing the pupil to often not dilate (properly). As a result, the pupil often shrinks spontaneously during cataract surgery, making the operation increasingly difficult for the surgeon.The doctor prescribes anti-arrhythmic drugs for, among other things, chest pain / Source: Pexels, Pixabay
Antiarrhythmic drugs
Function
Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone) is a medicine that doctors use to treat some heart conditions. Sometimes the patient has cardiac arrhythmias, which are known in medical terms as irregular heart rhythms or also Wolff Parkinson White. The doctor also prescribes this medication for angina pectoris. Angina pectoris refers to attacks of heart cramps that are accompanied by pain in the heart region, anxiety and a tight feeling in the chest due to a lack of oxygen to the heart.
Eyes
Almost all patients develop small deposits in the cornea, lens, retina, and optic nerve as a result of taking Amiodarone. These deposits are grouped in a plume shape and resemble a cat’s whiskers. The higher the dose the patient takes, the more extensive these deposits can be found in the eyes. In the vast majority of cases, this medicine does not lead to serious problems with visual acuity, although lens clouding does occur in a number of patients. Some patients also experience halos (rings) around lamps and other light sources. Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), corneal ulcers, eye pain, corneal edema (swelling of the cornea), optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve), retinopathy (retinal disease and scotomas (blind spots) are some eye conditions that occur sporadically with long-term use of this heart medication. In general, however, few problems with vision are expected. Finally, the typical lesions and possible associated symptoms disappear when the patient stops taking the medication.
Anticholinergics
Function
The doctor uses this medication as an aid in anesthesia because it causes the patient’s muscles to relax more quickly and the patient has less saliva production. This medicine is also useful for all kinds of diseases and symptoms, including gastrointestinal disorders, neurological disorders, lung disorders (for example asthma and COPD), hypertension (increased blood pressure), muscle stiffness (spasticity),
Eyes
When taking this medication, the patient experiences blurred vision due to the effect on the accommodative muscles. The pupils also dilate (widen), which in some patients with a shallow anterior chamber triggers an attack of acute angle-closure glaucoma. Other medication use may also lead to the development of glaucoma, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, diuretics (water tablets) for the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension) and medication for the treatment of acne (skin condition with inflammation of the skin). sebaceous glands).Antihistamines help with the eye condition conjunctivitis / Source: Marco Mayer, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-4.0)
Antihistamines
Function
Antihistamines are medicines that doctors prescribe for many conditions, including hypersensitivity reactions (such as conjunctivitis), heartburn, obesity and autoimmune disorders.
Eyes
The patient has a higher chance of developing glaucoma when taking this type of medication.
Anti-malarial drugs
Function
Patients with malaria often benefit from the drug Chloroquine. Hydroxychloroquine can be used for similar clinical symptoms and in the treatment of various collagen disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
Eyes
Symptoms When the patient takes these medications regularly for a long period of time, corneal opacities and macular changes occur . These may be accompanied by a decrease in vision. The same side effects occur with the drug Hydroxychloroquine, but with a lower frequency at a normal dose. The retinopathy is asymptomatic or leads to metamorphopsia (a distorted image) and difficulties in reading or performing fine visual tasks (due to scotomas). Visual acuity is usually good. The following symptoms may still occur as a result of taking these medications: amblyopia (a lazy eye), sudden blindness, cycloplegia (paralysis of the accommodative muscle in the eye), diplopia (double vision), seeing dark images, photophobia (hypersensitivity to light). , seeing red or green halos (rings around light sources) and seeing yellow, flashing lights.Examinations by the ophthalmologist In addition to an extensive eye examination, the ophthalmologist carries out several eye examinations to map the eye-related complications of Chloroquine, including electro -oculography, electroretinography, fluorescein angiography, a color test, color fundus photography (mapping of the back of the eyes) and a macular examination.Differential diagnosis An ophthalmologist carries out all these examinations, otherwise he may confuse the eye complications of Chloroquine with the following (eye) conditions:
- central serous chorioretinopathy
- Best’s disease (vitelliform macular dystrophy)
- Fabry disease (storage disease with fat build-up)
- Age-related macular degeneration: Central vision becomes blurred in this eye disease
Anticoagulants
Function
Anticoagulants slow blood clotting and prevent blood clots. Examples of anticoagulants include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), warfarin (Coumadin), heparin and so on.
Eyes
Normally, anticoagulants cause very few ocular side effects. They do not cause subconjunctival bleeding (bleeding under the conjunctiva of the eye), but they may prolong the bleeding time of this type of eye bleeding. In some cases, the patient stops taking this type of medication before eye surgery. In addition, the frequent use of aspirin increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration. This risk increases as the patient uses more aspirin.
Bisphosphonates
Function
Bisphosphonates are medicines that patients use for various bone disorders, such as cancer that has spread to the bones (bone metastases), Paget’s disease (chronic inflammation of the bone) and osteoporosis (loss of bone mass with the risk of bone fractures). Patients with cancer who suffer from hypercalcemia (increased calcium levels in the blood) also benefit from this medication.
Eyes
Occasionally inflammation of the eye socket occurs, but uveitis and scleritis are also side effects that occur when taking bisphosphonates. The ocular side effects are reversible when the patient stops taking the medication. Other symptoms include blurred vision, eye pain, conjunctivitis and bilateral anterior uveitis (inflammation of the ciliary body and iris in both eyes).
Corticosteroids
Function
Corticosteroids are very powerful anti-inflammatory medications that doctors use for various conditions such as anemia, arthritis (joint inflammation), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), leukemia, systemic lupus erythematosus and hives (skin disease with itchy bumps on the skin surface). . Corticosteroids are also medications that the patient sometimes uses to replace the adrenal cortex hormone when the patient does not produce it himself.
Eyes
When the patient takes these medicines for a long time, this leads to chronic open-angle glaucoma and cataract (cataract: cloudy lens of the eye). Reduced visual acuity is also possible by taking this medication. Because these complications may cause serious vision loss, patients who use these medications for a long period of time will have a comprehensive eye examination by the ophthalmologist two to four times a year. In case of pain, eye discharge, photophobia (hypersensitivity to light) or redness, an eye examination should be performed as soon as possible.
Tranquilizers
Tranquillizers such as Valium, Lorazepam, Temesta, are sedative drugs. When taken regularly, they reduce tear production. This causes the patient to suffer from dry eyes or increased irritation.
Vitamin A
In many cases, vitamin A is beneficial for the proper function of the retina of the eye. However, excessive vitamin A intake is harmful. A large intake of vitamin A or food products containing large amounts of vitamin A (such as liver or cod liver oil) causes pseudotumor cerebri (increased pressure in the skull). This causes the patient to experience increased pressure in the fluid around the brain (increased intracranial pressure). This leads to visible swelling of the optic nerve in the eye, and results in symptoms of headaches and visual disturbances.
read more
- Alpha blockers: Medication for hypertension & prostate enlargement
- Antibiotics: Medicines against a bacterial infection
- Anticholinergics: Medication that inhibits muscle movement
- Antihistamines: Medicines against allergic reactions
- Anticoagulants: Medication that slows blood clotting