Dr. Grossman’s Blog

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Glaucoma can be caused by medications that have been proscribed to treat other conditions.

An article in the journal Eye describes how closed-angle glaucoma (also known as acute glaucoma) can be induced by non-steroidal drugs.  One of the groups of medications named in the study are antineoplastics (anti-cancer medications).  Sulfa drugs can also be related to bilateral glaucoma.  Study authors conclude that these incidences of closed angle glaucoma can be prevented if at-risk patients are identified at the outset and steps are taken to prevent this serious side effect.  Source: Eye, (3 June 2011)

Learn more about prescription drugs that can harm the eyes.

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What kind of contact lens wearer are you?  Do you follow the rules that your doctor and your lens manufacturer outlines?  Or are you someone who stretches things a bit?

According to the results of surveys analyzed in the journal Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, the majority of lens wearers fail to comply with recommendations related to lens insertion, wear, and care.  The following figures are pulled from two independent online surveys of frequent contact users:

- nearly 50% fail to wash their hands before lens insertion and removal

- 75% do no rub their lenses with disinfecting solution (though many products claim to be “no rub” new research shows that rubbing the contacts before and after wear may be beneficial)

- there was “generally low compliance” when it came to replacing lenses as often as directed

- only 46% dump used solution and fill storage cases with fresh solution when storing lenses; the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention cites this practice as helping to prevent eye infection

- while one third of respondents clean their lens case daily, another 33% admitted they only clean their cases monthly or even less frequently

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com “Contact Lens Wearers Are Significantly Non-Compliant Before, During, And After Contact Lens Wear, Studies Show”

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Hormone therapy has been proscribed to some men suffering from prostate cancer.  Unfortunately, this treatment has been linked to cataracts according to a study published in the Annals of Epidemiology.

Research shows that study participants on hormone therapy were 9% more likely to develop a cataract compared to those who were not treated with hormone therapy.  In men whose testicles had been removed the risk soared to 26%.  The study involved 66,000 prostate cancer victims. Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101227/hl_nm/us_prostate_cancer

Learn more about natural cataracts prevention and treatment at our website.

For more about drugs that can harm the eyes, have a look at this page.

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Just because you can buy something over the counter doesn’t mean it cannot hurt you.

A review of cases published in the The New England Journal of Medicine shows that “poppers,” legal recreational drugs common in club culture, can cause light sensitivity and vision loss in some individuals.

In an article by HealthDay Reporter, researchers say, “poppers — a catch-all term for alkyl nitrites that are often inhaled by partyers for a brief ‘head rush’ and to increase sexual arousal — may compromise the normal workings of photoreceptor cells found in a key region of the eye’s retina.”  They go on to explain that “nitric oxide is known to affect the metabolism of photoreceptors and can also alter the operation of a key enzyme involved in photoreceptor function.”

Researchers did note that those who stopped taking poppers seemed to recover over a period of several months.  Experts do not yet agree fully on the correlation between the use of this drug and the damage to the eyes; some believe evidence is simply anecdotal at this stage and that more formal research is necessary.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=120899

Get further information on drugs that harm the eyes.

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A new study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology finds that those who take medications that make them more sensitive to the sun have an increased risk of developing cataracts.

And, in case you are thinking that you only have to worry about the sun if you are soaking up the rays on the equator, this study involved residents of Wisconsin who were exposed to their own local sunshine.

For a complete list of drugs that can cause light sensitivity, please visit our website.

Source: http://archopht.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/128/8/959

Researchers have discovered a link between the popular anti-depression herb St. John’s wort and the development of cataracts.

Published in Current Eye Research, the study describes the results of questionnaires sent to over 31,000 people over age 40 about cataracts and their use of herbal remedies and treatments over the prior year. Those who reported that they had cataracts were 59% more likely to also report they had used St. John’s Wort.  Researchers do make clear that this questionnaire format has limits and further study is necessary to determine whether the correlation is dose dependent and learn more about the timing of taking the supplement and developing the cataract.

In earlier research, Hypericin, an active ingredient in St. John’s wort, was linked with crystallization of the eye’s lenses. But, to date, the association had not been evaluated in humans.

St. John’s wort is a European weed whose extracts have been used for the treatment of mental disorders, particularly depression. It is usually taken as an herbal tea or tablet.

Source: http://news.injuryboard.com/study-links-st-johns-wort-to-cataracts.aspx?googleid=274170

For more research on cataracts causes, treatments, and cures, please visit our website.

The breast cancer drug tamoxifen may lead to eye problems in women over age fifty.   An article in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment reported that the drug can cause physical changes to the eye itself, specifically by shrinking the optic cup. The optic cup is the depression in the eye nearest to where the optic nerve exits on its way to the brain.   A previous study had indicated that about 13% of tamoxifen users report vision changes.

Lead study author Alvin Eisner, PhD told Medscape: “Clinicians need to be aware that if patients on tamoxifen are complaining of vision problems, these concerns need to be taken seriously.”

Source: Medscape

Patients with the neurodegenerative disease referred to as Parkinson’s are often proscribed the drug amantadine to alleviate motor problems.    Amantadine treatment causes abnormal changes in the cornea in some Parkinson’s patients. Generally, these corneal reactions occur soon after starting the drug and disappear a few weeks after they stop taking. Occasionally, these issues arise after patients have been taking the drug for many years, and, in these cases, patients often do not recover even when amantadine is stopped.

A new study has been aimed at discovering  whether the effect of amandatine on corneal endothelial cells is dependent on the cumulative dose received. In a comparison study researchers found that patients with the highest cumulative amandatine intake and/or longest duration of treatment (up to 8 years) had the most significant reductions in endothelial cell density (ECD). Endothelial cells work to keep excess water out of the main body of the cornea. When there are too few endothelial cells, corneal edema (swelling) results and vision is impaired.

Study leader, Dr. Won Ryang Wee says: “Assuming other studies confirm these results, ophthalmologists and neurologists should consider evaluating a patient’s corneal endothelium at the beginning of treatment with amandatine and reassess at regular intervals if the drug is used long term, and additional monitoring would be needed for patients with other conditions that reduce ECD–such as recent cataract surgery or ongoing glaucoma, uveitis or Fuch’s dystrophy–because corneal edema could develop during treatment.”

Source: http://www.elements4health.com/long-term-parkinsons-drug-treatment-could-cause-vision-impairment.html

According to the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database, an independent guide dedicated to researching and sharing the contents of personal care products and their effects on the body, mercury has been found in the following products related to your eyes: Paula Dorf Cake Mascara for Eyes, Raven and Similasan Healthy Relief Eye Drops, 1 for Dry and Red Eyes.

Mercury is known to damage brain function and cause other health problems even when present at low levels.  Beware of any cosmetics or personal products that list the mercury preservative “thimerosal.”