hi guys/gals,
I have been on this stuff for 4 days and my eyes are a little sore. I’m not sure if ive just watched too much telly recently or what.
My eyes feel cold and dry and a tiny bit blurry, i can focus though, but it takes a little longer.
I dont want to just fail another medicine though unless im sure it is a new symptom or not.
However I do not want to ruin my eyes as apparently the effects of this drug are irreversable.
Any advise?
My Iridologist said that it takes about 5 years before the drug can cause a retinal detachment, and even then it is a very small percentage.
But it is a good idea to check and see if you have a allergy to the medication. You could also try to get the brand name instead of the generic and see if that helps.
apparently it takes years to notice blurry vision, but every tablet you take is adding to your retinal toxicity. Which is irreversable.
Is this true? Do you have a source, not that I am challenging it, just I never heard that before. I was getting regular eye check ups when I was on it, the optimologist only mentioned the possibility of retinal detachment, but that was after using the meds for years, she never mentioned the slow deterioration of the eyes like you mention.
“Lyons emphasizes the importance of annual screening and says that, although annual screening is recommended for everyone taking Plaquenil, it is imperative for people who have been taking the medication for more than 10 years, who have a higher incidence of retinal toxicity. Plaquenil-induced toxicity usually will not occur before five years of taking the drug.”
ok
ive had many conflicting warnings from the doctor to the gp, to the chemist where i filled the script (she even said wear sunnys while on it in daylight) ive had so many conflicting information about this medicine that i dont know whats what
No i dont have written proof of that one, thats what the GP told me when i mentioned it.
The ruma never suggested any eye tests.
When taking plaquenil you should have a visual field test done before starting the med and every six months while on it. That’s the guideline that I’ve always heard and what my eye doctor followed. When I was on it ( 7 years I think) I did develop retinal inflammation. I was sent into NYC for specialized testing where they were able to determine that it was absolutely NOT plaquenil toxicity.
Any vision changes that occur when starting the med are absolutely not plaquenil toxicity.
nickace, sore eyes/dry eyes is perfectly normal for PsA. It is MUCH more likely to be that than anything to do with the plaquenil. Just a coincidence that it has started now in all likelihood. And, to be honest, sore eyes are not the symptoms of eye damage from the drug anyway - it is normally a change in vision: blurring, distortion, that kind of thing. If you’re on steroids, they can also make temporary changes to the eyes.