Science & ResearchLatest Questions and Answers Can Lyrica affect your eyesight? [ 06/17/09 ]
Lyrica has been reported to cause blurry vision and/or double vision in patients. The mechanism of this side effect is unknown. I have pseudoxanthoma elasticum and had photodynamic therapy and laser treatment to my right eye, but still lost central vision. I also have had many episodes of bleeding in my left eye. After seven injections of Avastin over a period of 3 years, it is still bleeding. Is there a limit to how many injections a patient can have, and how does the number of injections impact the risk of developing side effects? [ 06/17/09 ]
It sounds like you have choroidal neovascularization (formation of abnormal blood vessels in the choroid) from angioid streaks, which are often associated with pseudoxanthoma elasticum. Avastin works by causing the regression of abnormal blood vessels that are prone to bleed. There are risks to any intraocular injection, including the risk of infection. The risks remain the same with every injection you receive. Avastin has been associated with increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular events, but these have primarily occurred with higher doses of the medication given for chemotherapy. Currently, there is a clinical trial comparing the safety profile of Avastin and a related medication, Lucentis, which are both used for the eye condition that you have. The results of this trial are still pending. Unless you have previously had an adverse event from an Avastin injection, there is no clear-cut limit with regard to how many injections you can receive. Your ophthalmologist can provide you with more detailed information concerning your specific medical circumstances. I have been diagnosed with dry macular degeneration and have had double vision for at least 3 years. That symptom stopped oddly enough; however, my "close-up" vision is now very bad. Does the fact that the double vision went away mean that the macular degeneration is getting better or worse? [ 06/17/09 ]
It is possible for double vision to improve as macular degeneration worsens because the vision is no longer good enough for the brain to perceive two separate clear images. Your eye doctor can provide you with more specific information concerning your particular symptoms. My mother sees a white-grayish circle in the center of her right eye. The white circle has yellowish dots in it, which become grayish if she stares at something longer. She also sees a smaller white dot to the side of her left eye. Do you know what this condition is? The doctor says that she has a small hole in her retina. Is it a macular hole or dry macular degeneration? Is there any treatment that can improve her vision? Could rheopheresis or stem cell research help her? I would really appreciate your help. [ 06/17/09 ]
It is difficult to make a diagnosis without examining your mother. Symptoms of macular degeneration vary from patient to patient. Your mother's ophthalmologist should be able to tell you which condition she has, and what the available treatment options are. If she has a macular hole, surgery is sometimes an option. Rheopheresis and stem cell treatments are not typically used as established clinical therapies at this time. I was diagnosed with macular degeneration at the age of 21 by a retina specialist at the University of Kentucky. By the age of 25, I became legally blind in my right eye. Now, at the age of 40, I am realizing that I am also wheat-intolerant and am being tested for celiac disease. I read on the Internet that celiac disease can cause malnutrition, which in some cases is severe. When I was diagnosed with macular degeneration, I was told to take a multiple vitamin for the rest of my life and eat more vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish, etc. Has there been any research on celiac disease and macular degeneration? [ 06/17/09 ]
After conducting an exhaustive search of the research literature, including the PubMed database at the National Institutes of Health, I found no published reports of studies researching a possible link between celiac disease and macular degeneration. However, you are exactly right: celiac disease can result in malnutrition, and it is known that having low levels of carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins in the body may increase the risk for developing macular degeneration. Talking with your doctor and/or a nutritionist about dietary suggestions would be very helpful considering your specific medical conditions. I am only 44 years old and have macular degeneration in both eyes. My father was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration at age 72. I had a severe case of psittacosis when I was much younger and my eye doctor believes that it may have caused the macular degeneration. Could my macular degeneration be genetic even if my father did not have it until later in life, and/or is there any connection between this eye disease and psittacosis? [ 06/03/09 ]
Psittacosis has not been linked to macular degeneration in any studies that I am aware of. However, there have been some suggestions in the medical literature that prior infection with organisms such as cytomegalovirus or chlamydia pneumonia, may be linked with a higher rate of wet macular degeneration. Can macular degeneration be caused by Tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer? [ 06/03/09 ]
There is no clear clinical evidence linking Tamoxifen to a higher risk of macular degeneration. Are cortisone shots in the eye used to treat macular degeneration? [ 06/03/09 ]
Corticosteroids have been used to treat macular degeneration. Triamcinolone acetonide, a synthetic corticosteroid, has been used as an intravitreal* injection in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat wet macular degeneration. Recently, a clinical trial designed to assess the effect of anecortave, a steroid administered as a periocular** injection, was ended, as preliminary results did not show efficacy in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. Search for a Question
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this section is a public service of the American Health Assistance Foundation, and should not in any way substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional and is not intended to constitute medical advice. Although we take efforts to keep the medical information on our website updated, we cannot guarantee that the information on our website reflects the most up-to-date research. Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice; all medications and supplements should only be taken under medical supervision. The American Health Assistance Foundation does not endorse any medical product or therapy. Some of the content in this section is adapted from other sources, which are clearly identified within each individual item of information. Last Reviewed On: 09/11/09 |
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