Source : Perth Now news
A widely prescribed erectile dysfunction tablet could increase the risk of glaucoma and potentially threaten patients’ eyesight, new research suggests.
Scientists found men taking tadalafil, best known by the brand name Cialis, were up to 33 per cent more likely to develop the most common form of glaucoma than those not using the drug.
Glaucoma affects around one million people in the UK and is responsible for around one in 10 cases of blindness. It is also the world’s leading cause of preventable blindness.
Researchers from Taiwan and the US analysed the health records of 73,854 men aged over 40, around half of whom had been prescribed tadalafil or another similar erectile dysfunction medication over a five-year period.
The results showed men taking tadalafil were 22 per cent more likely to develop glaucoma overall and 33 per cent more likely to develop primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the disease.
They were also 32 per cent more likely to develop ocular hypertension, where pressure inside the eye is raised and can increase the risk of glaucoma.
Experts believe the drug could temporarily raise pressure inside the eye over time, potentially damaging the optic nerve. They also suggested reduced blood flow to the optic nerve may play a role, although they stressed neither theory has been proven.
The researchers emphasised that the observational study does not prove tadalafil causes glaucoma, only that an association exists.
However, they concluded the findings indicate the long-term effects of the drug on eye health deserve further investigation.
Tadalafil is prescribed to hundreds of thousands of men in the UK to treat erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to the penis. It is also used to treat an enlarged prostate by relaxing muscles in the bladder and prostate.
Known side effects include headaches, indigestion, muscle aches, a blocked nose and flushing. Headaches can also be an early warning sign of glaucoma.
The findings come as experts warn glaucoma cases are expected to climb sharply in the coming decades.
A separate study published earlier this year projected that the number of people living with glaucoma in the UK will rise to 1.6 million by 2060, driven largely by an ageing population.
The National Health Service (NHS) warns glaucoma often develops slowly without obvious symptoms, meaning many people are unaware they have the condition until permanent vision damage has already occurred.
