Vision changes that may be caused by medicine

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Vision changes that may be caused by medicine

Many prescription and nonprescription medicines can cause minor changes in vision. The seriousness of the vision changes caused by a certain medicine will vary.

Medicines that thin the blood (anticoagulants) increase the risk of bleeding in or around the eye. Examples of blood thinners include heparin, enoxaparin sodium (Lovenox), and warfarin (such as Coumadin).

Some medicines have side effects that may cause problems with the eye itself.

• Medicines that may cause gradual vision loss include:
  • Antimalarials, such as chloroquine (Aralen).
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as indomethacin (Indocin).
  • Heart medicine for an irregular heartbeat, such as quinidine sulfate (Quinaglute).
  • Antibiotics for tuberculosis, such as pyrazinamide, rifampin (Rifadin), and ethambutol (Myambutol).
• Medicines that may cause blurred vision include:
  • Eye medicines, such as tropicamide (Mydriacyl) or cyclopentolate (Cyclogyl).
  • High blood pressure medicines, such as guanethidine (Ismelin).
  • Fertility medicines, such as clomiphene (Clomid).
  • Antihistamines, such as fexofenadine (Allegra) or diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
  • Antispasmodics for the stomach and intestines, such as L-hyoscyamine (Cystospaz), belladonna alkaloids, and phenobarbital (Donnatal).
  • Antidepressants, such as tricyclic antidepressants (Elavil, Sinequan).
  • Phenothiazines, such as mesoridazine (Serentil).
  • Tranquilizers, such as lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax), and diazepam (Valium).
  • Medicines used to stop or control nausea and vomiting, such as meclizine (Bonine), ondansetron (Zofran), and prochlorperazine (Compazine).
• Medicines that may cause the formation of cataracts include corticosteroids (prednisone, Cortisporin, or Decadron) and phenothiazines (Compazine, Serentil).
• Medicines that may decrease tear production include antihistamines (Allegra, Benadryl).
• Medicines that may trigger acute-angle glaucoma include eyedrops that dilate the eye.
• Medicines that can cause a bluish tint to vision, such as digoxin (Lanoxin).

Call your doctor for an appointment if you think that your vision problems may be caused by a medicine.

Credits

Last updated:	December 13, 2005
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Ian MacDonald, MDCM, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Lila Havens