Has Prednisone Affected Your Eyesight?
Posted , 35 users are following.
I'd welcome hearing if Prednisone has affected your eyesight. I've been on it almost 2 years and have had to get my prescriptions for my eye glasses changed twice, and still my eyesight will vary slightly throughout the week. When driving things just aren't as sharp as I'd like them but still I mangage fine, similarly when reading a book my eyes just don't focus the way they use to. I believe Prednisone causes some fluctuations in sight that can keep shifting. Do I have this right?
6 likes, 79 replies
FlipDover_Aust leonard12916
Posted
I have to agree that 'something' has been messing with my eyesight, although I couldn't argue that it's the pred, or PMR that is the root cause.
Given the vascular nature of the condition it is quite probable that it effects the eyes to a certain point, as well as the rest of the muscles. Especially when you consider that GCA is the 'sister' to PMR.
charles92035 leonard12916
Posted
I have found 'changing' eyesight and lack of visual clarity to be a problem. I now have to use three different pairs of reading glasses (2.00, 3.00, and 4.00), I never needed reading glasses before. My clarity while driving is diminished some. Note: I have found that looking side to side (just using the eyes) seems to help a bit. I am on Prednisone and feel it is due to Prednisone.
EileenH charles92035
Posted
Pred can affect vision but it can also speed up changes due to aging. I find it less of a problem now - but I have moved my single pair of specs up and down my nose which is a lot cheaper! I don't need reading specs, because I am so short-sighted but I do need computer and distance ones.
We are advised to have regular sight checks - and a few people recently have reported they have developed cataracts very suddenly, within a few months!
After about 45 the changes in vision can be considerable and happen quickly or slowly - and whatever else I am sure of, we are all over that! I didn't have accommodation problems (being able to focus on near things) until relatively recently (in my 60s) but usually they start in your 40s.
And dry eye is often a problem with PMR and pred - that alone can cause blurriness and discomfort when reading/using the computer - resting your eyes every 10 mins or so is a good idea. Just looking out of the window can be enough.
pebbles01 leonard12916
Posted
My eyes do still feel strange although my distance sight is fab.
Babazaga leonard12916
Posted
Leonard,
I've been on Prednisone since July 2016---beginning with 20 mg. Temporal Arteritis was the diagnosis while I was on vacation. When I returned home 3 months later I was restarted with 40 mg and am tapering down---on 10 mg now.
I have blurred vision, can't read for very long, and while I can see well enough to drive safely, I can't see signs until I'm almost on them. Additionally, I am finding my eyes appear swollen and a bit vacant looking. I thought tapering would alleviate the side effects, but that hasn't been the case. I've had my prescriptions changed twice since November. What I can't seem to discover is if these side effects are temporary. I'd like to hear from anyone who has had similar problems and had them disppear after getting off the drug.
EileenH Babazaga
Posted
I have had problems in the past - but rather than spending a fortune on new lenses I simply moved my computer specs up and down my nose. Distance was less of a problem.
elaina1936 leonard12916
Posted
About 9 weeks ago, I had shingles attack my right side of head/face and went into my eye via optic nerve. Everything in my right eye is a complete blurt. I was put on Prenisone and became alarmingly concerned when I saw no improvement in my eyesight. My eye is a burr like a dense cloud is blocking my view. I went to eye doctor and he informed me that both shingles and Prenidsone have cause a cataract that is full blown in my eye. He said it is common for steroids to enhance or endure cataracts. So now I can't see until eye heals and I can have cataract surgery to replace the cloudy lens. Given what he told me, I suspect you may have some cloudiness of lens from steroids. He said it is a trade off between what problems are being treated vs. side effects.
bonnie24891 leonard12916
Posted
I was prescribed the 5-day pack a couple of months ago. I took the first dose and took a nap. When I woke up, my vision was so blurry it scared the heck out of me. It was like I had someone else's strong glasses on. It went away after about 30 minutes. No more prednisone for me.
EileenH bonnie24891
Posted
This a pretty old thread.
What was the starting dose of your "pack"?
bonnie24891 EileenH
Posted
I have no idea. It's just the standard pack where you take so many tablets the first day, less the second day until the last day you take just one or two. I've been prescribed that before and never had any problems.
EileenH bonnie24891
Posted
laquitab83 leonard12916
Posted
I'm currently having what some may call crossed eyes I have been taking Prednisone for a couple years and since I was just told by my Er doctor that this medicine isn't supposed to be used for long term I decided to look it up and have found that it can cause glaucoma and cataracts before taking this medication my eyesight was fine now my eyes cross sometimes and I can sometimes feel my eyes going to the side it's very frustrating that my doctor's are telling me to take this medication for life but my vision is now becoming a issue any similar symptoms or advice I would love to hear about thanks for reading
EileenH laquitab83
Posted
Your ER doctor is rather ignorant I fear - there are many people who take pred for many years, some for life. It can cause raised eye pressures and we are supposed to get eye checks annually, just like anyone who has a family history of glaucoma. I have been on pred for over 8 years and my pressures are unchanged - it happens in some people, it doesn't in others. But it should be checked for and managed just like glaucoma. There is an increased incidence of cataracts in people taking long term pred - but many people develop cataracts without taking pred.
Google this
"Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Steroid Side Effects: New Findings August 18, 2017
Except for cataracts, side effects in PMR patients treated with glucocorticoids and non-PMR patients were not statistically different, new research finds."
and you will find an article by two Mayo clinic PMR specialists with the good news about the doses of pred we take in PMR: apart from cataracts the chances of people having the side effects so talked about with pred are no different from any one else's of the same age who wasn't on pred.
I have never heard of people complaining of crossed or drifting eyes - I wonder if perhaps you need new glasses? If your vision has changed your eye muscles may be having to work harder than they did to focus and are giving up the struggle at times. I find my eyes do get tired at time - and my prescription has changed a bit too. But that happens with age anyway - and the sad bit is that pred probably speeds up the aging process in some things.
julie62874 leonard12916
Posted