A drug widely prescribed for a bladder condition for decades, now appears to be toxic to the retina, the light sensing tissue at the back of the eye that allows us to see.
A team of investigators from Kaiser Permanente in Northern California found use of pentosan polysulfate sodium, which is the only FDA-approved pill for treatment of interstitial cystitis, caused retinal damage in about 25% of patients and, adding to the issue, the damage itself can mimic that of other retinal conditions such as age-related macular degeneration or pattern dystrophy.
The widely used bladder drug Elmiron may cause eye damage, a new study claims.
Evidence continues to mount that a drug commonly prescribed for decades to treat a painful bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis (IC) is linked to retinal damage and toxicity.
The research was presented on Saturday at "AAO 2019", the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology at Moscone Center in San Francisco.