Is Prozac Getting Your Eyes Down?
Blindness is consistently one of the top rated fears. People with acquired blindness develop depression at a significantly higher incidence than the average population. A study by eye doctors in Canada reported( 2010) that some of the popular antidepressant prescription drugs increase the incidence of cataracts and vision issues. Another great pharmaceutical product- you can now be happy about losing your sight!
Vision is Effected By Antidepressants-Somewhat
The effect is really not that profound. Luvox had the most correlation with cataracts with a 50% increase, while Effexor and Paxil increased the incidence by about 30% and 20% each. In practical terms, that translates to about 3 more people in a hundred developing significant cataracts over the course of a lifetime. The risks of depression are much higher so don’t panic, keep taking the Effexor. Prozac and Zoloft seemed to not be associated with any elevated risks, but the research is still speculative on cause and effect on all SSRI drugs and eye problems. Earlier research found a correlation to the prior generation of antidepressant tricyclic drugs (like amitriptyline) and the development of cataracts in the lens of the eye.
Save Your Sight With Statins!
Be glad if you are taking one of the statin type prescription medications for cholesterol. They reduce the chance of developing cataracts by 20-40%, and also lower the risk of acquiring sight loss from macular degeneration. In this case multiple prescriptions from your doctor at the same time can actually be good for your vision- (strange but true)!
Natural Or Not, The Eyes Don’t Care
Don’t be deceived into thinking the natural approach will reduce your vulnerability. Hypercin, the active ingredient in St Johns Wort, appears to accelerate the death of cells in the lens when combined with ultraviolet and visible light. Better keep those sunglasses on and try to stay inside if you are taking St Johns Wort.
Seeing Happiness In A Different Light
A better choice for your vision and depression would be listening to ophthalmic company Allergan’s sponsored motivational speaker Tom Sullivan. Tom was born without sight and is an incredible testimony to what the human spirit is capable of, sighted or not. Sometimes the human spirit is the best antidepressant available. Meanwhile don’t spend time worrying, in reality it is not really a large risk.
Email or share this story: