Erectile Dysfunction Pills Eyed for Surprising Side Effects

News Brief: ED meds linked to rare but serious eye problems

Men who use erectile dysfunction (ED) medications should keep an eye on their eye health, new research suggests. Users of Viagra, Cialis, Levitra and Stendra have a considerably higher (though still small) risk of developing serious eye conditions like blood clots or retinal detachment.

“These are rare conditions, and the risk of developing one remains very low for any individual user,” says study leader Mahyar Etminan, PhD, an associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of British Columbia. “However, the sheer number of prescriptions dispensed each month in the U.S. — about 20 million — means that a significant number of people could be impacted. Regular users of these drugs who find any changes in their vision should take it seriously and seek medical attention.”

Here are the results, based on insurance-claim records from 213,000 U.S. men, published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology:

The study, which adds epidemiological support to past anecdotal evidence for the link…