Viagra and Vision Loss

Among all the oral medicines available for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, Viagra is one of the most popular without a doubt. It is also considered to be widely effective in the majority of cases. Nonetheless, this drug has a few side effects most of which are not particularly dangerous. However, some reports suggest that Viagra can be responsible for a specific type of vision loss in some patients.

The Vision Loss Cases

It has been reported that 14 men have suffered from a particular type of vision loss. The patients, however, lost only a part of their vision mainly. At the same time, the cases are extremely rare.

This vision loss condition is called NAION, which is short for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. The chances of developing this vision loss condition while using Viagra are extremely slim. Therefore, people should consult a doctor before they even consider using Viagra and buying it from Canadian Pharmacy. They need to weigh the risks before using it.

The vision loss condition is not limited to only Viagra. It has also been reported that Cialis has been responsible for the condition in three patients. Levitra, one of the popular oral medicines for erectile dysfunction, has not been noticed to have caused any such case so far. Both Cialis and Levitra are available from Canadian Pharmacy.

What Does the Manufacturer of Viagra Say?

Pfizer is the company that makes Viagra. It has mentioned that the chances of such a condition being caused by Viagra are very low. After all, Viagra has been used for treating erectile dysfunction in 23 million cases. Moreover, 103 clinical trials have been performed on the drug. None of the trials have reported the development of a case of NAION in any of the participants.

As a result, it is difficult to say if Viagra indeed is solely responsible for the vision loss cases. After all, there have only been 14 patients suffering from NAION out of 23 million patients. Nonetheless, Pfizer will continue to monitor the effects of the drug. Experts tend to agree with their assessment. After all, it is possible for a side effect to crop up years after the drug has gone through clinical trials.

The Effects of NAION

Most of the patients out of the 14 cases suffered from a partial loss of vision. They lost their central vision, peripheral vision or both. However, as the vision loss wasn’t complete, the patients did not go blind. On the other hand, the vision loss was permanent in all the cases. There was only one case in which the patient lost his vision in both the eyes. All of the men mentioned that they began to suffer from vision problems with 24 to 36 hours of taking the drug.

Points to Note

There were certain characterizes of the patients suffering from NAION that were common to all the 14 cases.

• The age of the patients was around 50 to 69 years.
• Most suffered from diabetes.
• High blood pressure was also common.
• High cholesterol was also a common factor.
• They were either smoker or had a history of smoking.
• A rare problem in the structure of the optic nerve.

The structural problem of the optic nerve is of special note. This problem is a rare one being present in a very small percentage of the populace. Additionally, it is a major contributory factor to the loss of vision through NAION. It is possible to determine if this problem is present in a person through the requisite eye exam.

Using Viagra Safely

As the study shows, most people will not end up developing NAION even if they use Viagra for their erectile dysfunction. Therefore, you can use these oral medicines without any worries. However, you must always consult with a doctor so that potential problems can be recognized before they occur in your case.

You must also become familiar with the possible side effects of these oral medicines. This will help you take the necessary steps when they do occur. Of course, you must follow the directions and dosage correctly to prevent any issues arising from them. With the right use of Viagra or other ED medicines, you can easily overcome your erectile dysfunction problem.