Medications That May Be Impacting Your Eyesight

When you take a new pill, you are focused on how it helps your main health problem, right? But here is something you might not know: a lot of common medicines can mess with your eyes! It is true. Sometimes, a drug that helps one part of your body can accidentally change your vision.

It is smart to know about these possibilities. That way, you can watch for changes and talk to your doctors right away if something feels wrong.

Pills That Can Affect Your Sight

Many medicines, even common ones, can cause changes in your eyes. It is smart to know which ones to watch out for so you can notice any problems quickly.

• Steroid Medicines: These pills are used to fight swelling and pain. If you use them for a long time, they can make the lens in your eye cloudy, making your vision hazy. They can also cause high pressure inside the eye.

• Allergy Pills: Taking simple antihistamines stops your sniffles, but they often dry your eyes out, too. Your eyes might feel scratchy, gritty, or tired throughout the day because you are not making enough tears.

• Mood Pills: Some medicines for sadness or worry can make your vision fuzzy. They may also dry your eyes or make bright light feel harsh.

• Acne Pills: Strong acne treatments can sometimes affect how clearly you see, or they can lead to severe dryness.

• Blood Thinners: These medicines stop clots. In very rare cases, they can cause bleeding inside the eye, which may cause sudden blur or dark spots.

• Immune Drugs: Pills used for conditions like arthritis or lupus can actually hurt the retina (the back of your eye) over time. Your eye doctor must check for this damage often.

• Focus Pills: Some ADHD medicines can temporarily blur your vision or make it hard for your eyes to focus quickly between near and far objects.

• For Infections: Certain types of antibiotics can make your eyes extra sensitive to sunlight, so you should be sure to wear UV-protective sunglasses outside.

What You Need to Do Next

If you start a new medicine or you have been on one for years, it is smart to be proactive about your eye health.

Here are the most important steps to follow:

• Talk to Your Doctor: If you notice any change in your eyesight, no matter how small, tell the doctor who gave you the medicine. They need to know so they can check if the pill is the cause.

• Get Regular Eye Exams: If you are taking a pill known to affect the eyes long-term (like steroids or drugs for arthritis), you need to get eye checkups often. This helps your eye doctor find problems very early.

Here is the most important rule to remember: Never stop taking a medicine just because you think it is causing an eye problem! Stopping suddenly could be harmful to the condition you are already treating. Always talk to the doctor who gave you the pill first. Also, tell your doctor right away if you notice anything unusual, such as flashes of light, new black spots, or sudden blurriness.

For more on medications that may be impacting your eyesight, visit West Pasco Eye Care. Our office is in Pasco, Washington. Call (509) 543-9898 to book an appointment today.

https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/features/medications-cause-vision-problems

https://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-care/vision-health/medication-side-effects/