Are you suffering vision problems from retinal detachment? Were you taking an antibiotic when the retinal detachment occurred? There may be a link. A 2012 Canadian study found that patients who take antibiotics called fluoroquinolones are more likely to suffer a serious eye condition called retinal detachment.
Researchers at the Child and Family Research Institute of British Columbia in Vancouver analyzed the medical records of almost one million patients who saw an ophthalmologist between January 2000 and December 2007. They found that taking antibiotics such as levofloxacin (Levaquin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), moxifloxacin (Avelox), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), and gemifloxacin (Factive) caused a five-fold increase in retinal detachment, an eye condition that can lead to blindness. The drugs, which are used to treat urinary tract infections, respiratory illnesses, and hospital-acquired infections, are already known to increase the risk of less serious eye problems, including corneal perforations, optic neuropathy, and retinal hemorrhages.
The scientists suggest that the drugs only be used in patients who really need them and that doctors warn patients to see an ophthalmologist if they experience any changes in vision, including floaters or flashes of light.
The increased risk was only present in patients who were taking the antibiotics at the time of the retinal detachment. There was no extra risk among patients who had taken the fluoroquinolones recently or among those who had taken them in the past.
It is important to remember that the risk is small. About one in every 2,500 (.04 percent) patients who use fluoroquinolones will develop a retinal detachment. This may not seem like a big deal; however, four million prescriptions are written for fluoroquinolones in the US each year. This means that about 1,600 patients will experience retinal detachments. If you are one of the 1,600 who have experienced a retinal detachment while taking a fluoroquinolones antibiotic, it is a significant problem. Retinal detachment can cause permanent vision problems and blindness.
If you suffered retinal detachment while taking Avelox, Cipro, Factive, Floxin, Levaquin, or another antibiotic, we urge you to contact a Salt Lake City pharmaceutical injury attorney. You may qualify to file a Utah pharmaceutical injury claim. To discuss your antibiotic-related retinal detachment, contact the James Esparza Law Firm at 800-745-4050. There is no charge for the consultation.