The Food and Drug Administration said last week it is examining rare reports of partial vision loss in some men taking impotence drugs Viagra (made by Pfizer) and Cialis (made by El Lilly & Co.).
Pfizer said outside of clinical trials, Viagra has been used by more than 23 million men worldwide over the past seven years and reports of visual field loss due to non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) are extremely rare.
�There is no evidence showing that NAION occurred more frequently in men taking Viagra than men of similar age and health who did not take Viagra,� Pfizer said in a statement.
NAION is the most common acute optic nerve disease in adults over age 50 and it shares a number of common risk factors with erectile dysfunction: age over 50, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes.
�Most of the reported cases in which NAION has occurred in men taking Viagra have involved patients with underlying anatomic or vascular risk factors associated with the development of NAION,� the drug maker said.
Pfizer said it is in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration to update the Viagra label to reflect these rare ocular occurrences.
(via Pfizer)
5 responses so far ↓
Pat Kelly // Jun 1, 2005 at 11:52 am
I am 56 years of age, I have taken viagra since May of 98, I am now legally blind, started having vision problems & Drs said viagra is O K to keep taking. Do you know of any class auctions on this
robert dreyfuss // Jun 8, 2005 at 2:43 pm
I am 50 years old, I taken Viagra in jan of 04 and wake up one day with NAION which is non arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy. If anything like this happen to you let me know. I am getting a lawyer so look into a lawsuit.
Robert Dreyfuss
Larson in Ohio // Jun 20, 2005 at 11:00 am
I’m 58 with no other health problems. Took Viagra and now have lost vision in right eye due to ischemis optic neuropathy, just got the tests today.
Jim T // Jun 27, 2005 at 11:21 am
I took Viagra and awoke half blind in one eye. Class action lawyers can be found on the internet. Use search words like “Viagra”, “Vision”, “Lawsuit”, etc. It worked for me.
Buddy Pitts // Aug 10, 2005 at 7:01 am
I have taken viagra, lost a tiny bit of vision in left eye about 3 years ago and most of my vision in right eye about a year ago, Dr. said NAION, and this was with in 24 hrs of taking viagra
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