Study Finds Cialis and Viagra Safe for Vision and Eye

Study Finds Cialis and Viagra Safe for Vision and Eye

A recent study published in the April edition of Archives of Ophthalmology reports that both Cialis ® and Viagra ® are safe for the retina and pose no permanent harm to the vision after a 6 month test.  The drugs, or placebo, were given daily for six months.  Several parameters were measured including vision, eye pressure and retinal function.  No deleterious effects were found.  In the past, erectile dysfunction medications have been implicated to cause permanent damage to the eye, specifically to the optic nerve.  Associations with other eye disease, including the optic nerve, are felt to be coincidental.

Randall V. Wong, M.D.
Retina Specialist/Ophthalmologist
www.TotalRetina.com

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4 Comments
  • John Farrell
    Posted at 07:33h, 25 April Reply

    Dr. Wong, as you are aware, I have ED as the result of prostate surgery in February. I started using Viagra two months after surgery at the direction of the surgeon. The doctors prescribed 100 mg tablets but suggest starting with a half tablet. The half dose did nothing so I increase the dose to a whole tablet. The first thing I noticed was a sensitivity to lights. The normal inside lighting was suddenly bright white and outside lighting was very bright. Using sun glasses works well, which is more than I can say for the Viagra. The urologists encourage me to be patient as I heal from the surgery which removed the cancerous prostate.

    • Randall V. Wong, M.D.
      Posted at 10:21h, 26 April Reply

      JF, Viagra works by inhibiting PDE5 (phosphodiesterase 5). These so-called PDE5 inhibitors also have some cross-over activity on PDE6 (phosphodiesterase 6) which is involved in the light transduction pathway in the retina. The cross-over activity can cause the temporary symptoms of blurry vision, blue-tinged vision and “sensitivity” to light. To date, there is no known threat to the eye or vision.

      Read the full article here.

      Randall V. Wong, M.D.
      Retina Specialist/Ophthalmologist
      http://www.TotalRetina.com

  • Denis Lau
    Posted at 15:33h, 23 January Reply

    I just had a retina re-attahcment surgery done on my left eye. My question is can I still be taking 60mg of sildenafil on the as needed basis? Does sildenafil cause retinal tears and eventually detachments? But just really want to make sure I can still use after surgery

    • Mike Rosco
      Posted at 21:42h, 12 February Reply

      Hi there Denis,

      Sildenafil (Viagra) is not known to cause retinal tears or detachments. However, it is possible that the medication may interact with other medications you may be taking or with any conditions you may have, so it is best to discuss this with your doctor. Your doctor may also have specific instructions regarding the use of medications after your surgery.

      Talk soon,

      Dr. Mike Rosco

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