If you experience any of these symptoms while on medication, it’s important to inform both your primary care physician and eye doctor promptly. They may need to adjust your dosage or recommend an alternative medication. Below are common medications that can affect your eye health: 

Alendronate (Fosamax) 

Alendronate (Fosamax) belongs to a class of medications called “bisphosphonates.” Alendronate is commonly used to treat osteoporosis but can occasionally lead to inflammation affecting the front, middle, and back parts of the eye. Symptoms of inflammation in the eye include: 

• Blurred vision 
• Light sensitivity (photophobia) 
• Eye pain 
• Eye redness 

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Topiramate (Topamax) 

Topiramate (Topamax) can treat many conditions, including seizures, migraine headaches, and mood disorders. Topiramate can cause acute glaucoma, an eye condition that damages the optic nerve. People often experience eye pain, headache, and blurred vision. There are also reports of mydriasis (dilated pupil), acute myopia (sudden change in nearsightedness), and other rare eye complications 

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Isotretinoin (Accutane) 

Isotretinoin (Accutane, Absorica) is an oral pill that treats acne. A common side effect of isotretinoin is dry eye. Isotretinoin can also cause: 

• Inflammation of the conjunctiva and eyelid (blepharoconjunctivitis) 
• Light sensitivity (photophobia) 
• Swelling of the optic nerve (papilledema) 

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Amiodarone (Cordarone) 

Amiodarone (Cordarone) is a medication that treats irregular heartbeats, like atrial fibrillation. The risk of developing an eye condition goes up if you’re taking a higher dose of amiodarone. Eye complications are very common, even at lower doses, so people who take amiodarone should get regular eye exams.  

Vortex keratopathy is one of the most common complications of amiodarone use. More than 70% of people experience this side effect. Vortex keratopathy causes a swirl-like pattern to appear on the cornea (the clear, front part of the eye). Some people don’t experience vision changes from it, while others may notice halos around lights.  

A more serious side effect from amiodarone is optic nerve damage. The optic nerve connects the eye and the brain so you can see. Damage to the optic nerve can lead to permanent vision loss. 

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Tamsulosin (Flomax) 

Tamsulosin (Flomax) is prescribed to help with urination in conditions like benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate) or prostate cancer. If you’re using tamsulosin and you require cataract surgery, it’s crucial to discuss this with your eye doctor. Tamsulosin increases the risk of developing intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS), which can complicate cataract surgery. 

In one study, over half of the individuals taking tamsulosin developed intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) during cataract surgery, compared to only 2% who were not taking tamsulosin. Even if you discontinue tamsulosin before surgery, you remain at a heightened risk of developing IFIS. Therefore, it’s essential for you and your eye doctor to carefully evaluate whether proceeding with cataract surgery is appropriate in your case. 

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Sildenafil (Viagra) 

Sildenafil (Viagra) treats erectile dysfunction (ED). Some people experience changes in color perception after starting sildenafil. You may notice that things look like they’re tinted blue. This does go away when you stop taking the medication. 

Another rare, serious side effect is damage to the optic nerve. This can cause permanent vision loss. The risk of developing optic nerve damage goes up if you’re taking a higher dose of sildenafil.  

Tadalafil (Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra) can also cause these same eye symptoms.  

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Tamoxifen 

Tamoxifen is an anti-estrogen medication that can treat ovarian and breast cancer. It can lead to several eye problems, including: 

• Retinal deposits 
• Cornea clouding 
• Swelling of the macula (macular edema) 

Since these symptoms can lead to permanent vision loss, people who take tamoxifen should get regular eye exams.  

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Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) 

Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) is an antipsychotic medication that can treat hallucinations and paranoia. Chlorpromazine can cause: 

• Pigment changes of the cornea, eyelids, and conjunctiva (white part of the eye) 
• Dry eye  
• Blurry vision 
• Retinal damage (retinal degeneration) 

Thioridazine (Mellaril) is a similar antipsychotic that can also cause these symptoms.  

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Ethambutol (Myambutol or EMB) 

Ethambutol is a medication that treats tuberculosis. It can cause: 

• Changes in color perception 
• Decreased peripheral vision 
• Inflammation and damage of the optic nerve  

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Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) 

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) treats rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune disorders. This medication can cause cloudiness in the cornea, which affects your ability to see clearly.  

Hydroxychloroquine is also toxic to the retina. Damage to the retina causes permanent vision loss. The risk of developing retinal damage is higher for people taking higher doses of hydroxychloroquine. People who have been taking the medication for a long time are also at higher risk. So be sure to get regular eye exams while taking the medication.  

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Prednisone 

Prednisone and other steroids are effective treatments for various medical conditions, including eye conditions like uveitis. However, some individuals may experience elevated eye pressure while using these medications, leading to steroid-induced glaucoma. Over time, untreated steroid-induced glaucoma can cause permanent vision loss. 

It’s crucial to monitor for symptoms such as blurred vision or eye pain while taking steroids. If you experience these symptoms, it’s important to seek prompt evaluation by an eye doctor. Early detection of steroid-induced glaucoma allows for timely intervention, which can potentially reverse the condition and preserve your vision. 

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Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), an over-the-counter antihistamine used to alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms, can lead to several eye-related side effects. These include dry eye and difficulty focusing up close, as it dilates pupils. 

A severe side effect that may occur is acute angle-closure glaucoma, which necessitates immediate medical attention. If you are taking diphenhydramine and experience any of the following symptoms, seek emergency medical care: 

• Blurry vision 
• Headache 
• Severe eye pain 
• Vomiting 
• Halos in your vision 

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Cidofovir (Vistide) 

Cidofovir (Vistide) treats cytomegaloviral (CMV) retinitis, a viral infection of the retina. Even though it treats a serious eye condition, it can also cause a different problem in the eye — uveitis. Uveitis causes eye pain, redness, and vision changes. If you take cidofovir, be sure to get regular eye exams to make sure you’re not developing uveitis. 

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Digoxin/digitalis (Lanoxin) 

Digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin) helps treat many heart conditions. But it can cause vision changes, including:  

• Double vision 
• Blurry vision 
• Light sensitivity 
• Changes in color perception (yellow tint to vision)  

These vision changes usually go away when you stop taking the medication.   

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Fingolimod (Gilenya) 

Fingolimod (Gilenya) is a newer medication that treats multiple sclerosis. It can cause macular edema (swelling in the back of the eye). Symptoms of macular edema include: 

• Blurred central vision 
• Shadows in vision 
• Blank spots in the vision 
• Changes in color perception (colors may look washed out or muted, making them harder to tell apart) 

People taking Fingolimod should get regular eye exams. 

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Rifampin (Rifadin) 

Rifampin (Rifadin) is another medication that treats tuberculosis and other infections. Its most well-known side effect is turning urine orange. But it’s not just urine that changes color. Rifampin makes all bodily fluids look orange-red, including tears. While this won’t affect vision, it will stain contact lenses. This makes everything look orange when you’re wearing the stained lenses.  

The color of your tears will go back to normal once you stop taking the medication. But you might want to switch to daily, disposable lenses or glasses while taking rifampin.   

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Doxycycline (Vibramycin) 

Doxycycline (Vibramycin) is an antibiotic that treats many types of infections and helps treat other medical conditions, like acne. People who take doxycycline for a long time can develop secondary intracranial hypertension also known as pseudotumor cerebri. This causes an increase in the pressure inside the brain, which leads to: 

• Blurred vision 
• Double vision 
• Headaches 

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The bottom line: People don’t always connect their vision changes to their medications. But medications are a common cause of vision changes. There are far more than these 17 medications mentioned that can lead to vision changes and double vision.  

If you ever develop a new change in your vision or double vision, see an eye doctor right away. Make sure you tell your eye doctor about all of the medications you’re taking, including OTC supplements.