In the golden era of Hollywood, the leading man and his ingnue would lock in a passionate embrace against a background of fireworks, followed by a very tasteful fade to black. My, how times have changed.
Sex is certainly more out in the open these days, and not just in the movies. The skyrocketing success of drugs like Viagra is certainly a testament to that. Millions of men around the world have used Viagra to help them renew their romantic lives. But new research is showing that for some men, those re-ignited fireworks might come at a high price – a literal, and permanent, fade to black.
Just one dose may leave you blind for life
An article in the latest issue of the medical journal Ophthalmology reports on a rare, but extremely serious, side effect of Viagra – vision loss. In at least seven cases, men have developed substantial and permanent vision loss in one or both eyes within hours of taking Viagra – sometimes after the very first dose. This study focused on five of those cases.
In these cases, the vision loss was caused by a condition called NAION (nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy). NAION develops when the blood supply to the front portion of the optic nerve is cut off. Its symptoms include blurred vision, loss of part of the visual field, swelling in the optical disc, and multiple hemorrhages in the eye. People over 50 with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and people who smoke, are all at higher risk for the condition.
In this study, only two of the men studied exhibited any of the risk factors; one had heart disease and diabetes, and the other had already developed NAION in one eye before beginning Viagra therapy. But all five in this study shared another, less commonly-assessed risk factor – one that you may want to have checked if you are currently taking or considering taking Viagra.
Before you take Viagra, ask your doctor for this one simple test
Ophthalmologists call it the “cup-to-disc ratio.” They use it to measure the relationship between the optic nerve and the eyeball; a low ratio is a bad sign, indicating that the vessels and nerves behind the eyeball are bundled tightly together. The study’s authors theorize that Viagra impacts the optic nerve by enhancing the effects of nitric oxide, which “has been implicated as a possible toxic agent to the optic nerve.” (They also note that nitric oxide has been “implicated in the pathogenesis if glaucoma, a more common form of optic neuropathy than NAION.”)
This is not the first time that Viagra has been associated with vision problems. In the drug’s packaging, there’s a long list of potential side effects associated with the eyes, like blurred vision, eye pain and hemorrhage, dry eyes, redness, and conjunctivitis (pink eye). Viagra has even been known to cast a bluish or greenish tinge over a user’s entire field of vision. But while most of these potential side effects disappear after Viagra is discontinued, the NAION-related vision loss detailed in this study did not subside over time.
If you take Viagra, make an appointment today with your ophthalmologist to have your cup-to-disc ratio measured. Take the results to your primary physician and discuss these risks. And if you’ve been considering the little blue pill, think hard about the potential side effects before you begin. Remember you’re at greater risk for vision loss if you have existing cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, or if you smoke cigarettes. For each risk factor that applies, your risk multiplies. And if you’ve had NAION before, you’re at even greater risk. Even if you don’t have any of the risk factors, you may still want to have your cup-to-disc ratio assessed before making your decision. That one small step could make a big difference.
Remember, Viagra isn’t your only option. Many HSI members and e-Alert readers have found success with an all-natural product called ReVitaMan from NorthStar Nutritionals that we told you about recently. ReVitaMan combines maca, the powerful libido booster from the Andean Mountains, with four other herbs that are known to enhance sex drive and stamina. In clinical studies, maca helped increase the frequency of sex among test subjects and even enabled previously impotent subjects to achieve erections. To learn more about ReVitaMan, follow this link: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/V03/W650C218
As we’ve told you before, an active sex life is critical to maintaining good health as we age. But it’s important that you weigh the benefits and the risks when adding any medication or supplement to your regimen.
Source: Ophthalmology 2002; 109:584-587
Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.
