Common Prescription Drug Side Effects

These medicines can harm your eyes

Some of the most common drugs used in conventional medicine have side effects that negatively impact vision as well as other aspects of the physiology. Modern medical science has developed life-saving drug, but we should carefully consider their use and their side effects with our doctor. It is important with drugs that increase light sensitivity to always wear sunglasses and be sure to get enough sleep enough exercise and eat healthy, fresh foods.

Amoxicillin   Prednisone   Naproxen & Ibuprofen   Prozac   Other drugs

Amoxicillin

Amoxicillin is a commonly prescribed synthetic penicillin prescribed for infections caused by bacteria, such as bronchitis, UTI, ear infections, and STDs.

It is very important to not take antibiotic unless they are really necessary. Unneccessary use contributes to future ineffectiveness of these life-saving antiobiotics. Whenever you must take antibiotics make sure you also supplement with probiotics such acidophilus or bifidus, as well as vitamin C to help protect against the side effects and damage to essential digestive bacteria in the gut.

Amoxicillin and ampicillin sometimes cause mild eye redness, itchy eye, or dry eyes. Very rarely, they have caused blood capillary leakage in the white of the eye and in the retina. They can contribute to allergic conjunctivitis. Because they disrupt the natural chemical balance of the body and the natural fluid balance of the eyes, they contribute to glaucoma.

Prednisone

Prednisone is a synthetic steroid commonly prescribed for severe inflammation cases, such as systemic poison ivy or poison oak, or shingles. Like other steroids, it has some serious side-effects.

Steroids increase the risk of: developing macular degeneration; cataracts (they contribute to the onset of dense cataracts); glaucoma (they increase intraocular pressure); and optic nerve damage. Steroids imitate natural hormones that fight inflammation in the body and are commonly prescribed for muscle/joint/tendon inflammation and pain due to arthritis, Crohn's and lupus.

With respect to long term use of steroids, once usage stops, high intraocular pressure also normalizes, but any damage due to the high eye pressure remain. Steroids also increase blood sugar, contributing indirectly to diabetic retinopathy.

If you must take steroids, be sure to take "therapeutic" doses of antioxidants such as alpha lipoic acid, lutein, vitamin C, vitamin E and lutein to help reduce the potential negative effects of the steroids. We recommend that you also take the Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula to support healthy vision.

Naproxen & Ibuprofin

Naproxen is an NSAID (non steroid anti-inflammatory drug) that is used to treat conditions involving severe joint or tendon pain and inflammation such as arthritis or tennis elbow.

Ibuprofen is the well known NSAID commonly used for headaches and to reduce fever.

Long term use of NSAIDS can cause a wide variety of vision related side effects including dry eyes, cataracts and eye hemorrhages. These NSAIDS include Ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, aspirin, ketoprofen, Advil, Motrin, Bayer, Aleve, and flurbiprofen.

NSAIDS are also drugs that make your eyes more sensitive to damage from the sun so you should be sure to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. Not only can NSAIDS make you more at risk for cataracts, but they increase the risk for developing macular degeneration, glaucoma and optic nerve damage.

"Harmless" drugs can damage both body and vision. When used over long term or frequently, they can induce photosensitivity, dry eyes, corneal deposits, gastrointestinal tract damage as well as other conditions.

Prozac

Prozac is commonly prescribed as an anti-depressant.

Anti-depressants change how the brain's nerve cells process information. Since the eyes (retinas) are essentially extensions of the brain, neurological changes due to drugs result in changes in the cornea, optic nerve, lens, macula and retina.

Specifically, prozac use may result in double vision, blurred vision, chronic dilated pupils, and dry eye syndrome as well as eye pain and infections and other damage to the eyelid such as drooping eyelids. These symptoms are normal if you are taking prozac. Prozac increases the risk of developing cataracts and glaucoma.

Other antidepressants (including fluvoxamine (Luvox), venlafaxine (Effexor), and paraxetine increase light sensitivity (increasing cataract and AMD risk), and increase the risk of dry eye syndrome, acute angle closure glaucoma and optic nerve damage. It is important to always wear sunglasses if you use these photosensitizing drugs.