Viagra users are 85% more likely to develop eye conditions, study finds –

A study today said that Viagra can harm eyesight.

Canadian experts have found that taking the erection pill regularly can increase the risk of three serious eye conditions.

Three other impotence drugs – Cialis, Levitra and Spedra – were also cited as possible causes of eye problems.

They found that the drugs can cause sudden vision loss, bright and dark flashes of light, or “floating” spots in those who use them.

The increased blood flow to the genitals with the pills can block the flow to the eyes, and experts say this may be the reason.

Lead researcher Dr Mahyar Etminan, an ophthalmologist at the University of British Columbia, said people taking the drugs and experiencing vision problems should “seek medical attention.”

Dr. “These are rare conditions and the risk of developing one for any individual user is very low,” Etminan said.

“However, the number of prescriptions issued each month in the United States alone – about 20 million – means that a significant number of people may be affected.

“Casual users who notice a change in their vision should take it seriously and see a doctor.”

More than 2.9 million men were prescribed Viagra by the NHS in 2016, the latest data available. However, the pills are also available without a prescription.

The study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, analyzed the insurance claims of 213,033 men who took erectile dysfunction pills.

It was not specified what the men, mostly in their sixties, used the drug for.

However, sildenafil, the main ingredient in Pfizer’s Viagra, can also be used to treat pulmonary hypertension.

About 123,347 men took sildenafil, Pfizer’s brand name drug Viagra.

78,609 were taking tadalafil (Cialis), 6,604 were taking vardenafil (Levitra), and 4,473 were taking avanfil (Spedra).

None of the men had experienced any eye problems in the year prior to becoming regular users of the drug.

Dr. Etminan and colleagues have not defined what a “normal” dose is, but doctors recommend that patients taking ED pills take no more than one tablet per day.

Those prescribed drugs for pulmonary hypertension will take a lower-strength pill that must be taken three times a day.

The researchers followed the practice logs from 2006 to 2020 to see which eye conditions were developing.

The academics adapted the analysis to account for factors that may have skewed their findings, such as diabetes and heart disease.

The results showed that men who took one of the drugs were 158% more likely to develop severe retinal detachment when fluid accumulates at the back of the eye.

It causes sudden spots in the visual field and flashes of light.

They were also 102% more likely to have ischemic optic neuropathy, a disruption of blood flow to the optic nerve. The condition causes loss of central vision.

And they were 44% more likely to develop retinal atherosclerosis, a type of blood clot in the retina.

People suffering from sudden vision loss and dark or “floating” spots in their vision.

Dr. “These drugs address erectile dysfunction by improving blood flow, but we know they can also block blood flow to other parts of the body,” Etminan said.

“So although our study did not show cause and effect, there is a mechanism by which these drugs could potentially cause these problems.

“The sum of the evidence points to a strong link.”

He said he hopes more research will prove the link and lead manufacturers to put warning labels on the pills.

Pfizer warns that about one in 100 people who take Viagra experience “eye irritation, red or red eyes, eye pain, flashes of light, visual clarity, sensitivity to light, tearing.”