Doctors from Tehran Medical University in Iran described a case in which a 32-year-old man went blind in one eye after taking Viagra. The article was published in the magazine Journal of Medical Case Reports.
The patient took 100 mg of sildenafil, the main active ingredient of the drug against erectile dysfunction. This is the maximum dose of the drug, twice the recommended dose. Three hours later, he suddenly lost his vision.
Scans showed blood clots in the artery and vein that supply blood to the man’s right eye. This led to retinal swelling. Despite efforts to restore his vision, the damage was extensive and doctors were unable to restore eye function. They say the pressure from fluid buildup eventually causes the retina to physically separate from the rest of the eye.
The history also revealed that there was no history of problems in the patient’s family that could explain the sudden blood clot formation. The authors acknowledge that the exact mechanism by which sildenafil damages blood vessels in the eye is unknown.
One theory is that the drug’s intended effect of increasing blood flow to the penis may inadvertently damage delicate blood vessels in the eye through the same mechanism. However, additional studies on the drug are needed to reach more accurate conclusions.
Previously recognizedAn Australian woman got pregnant twice, 18 days apart.