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Medication and impotence

Various medications and recreational drugs can have an affect on sexual arousal and sexual performance. However, aspects such as dosage and consumption differ from one individual to another. There are several forms of medication available today. Among the oral forms of medication the preferred ones are:

Numerous studies are being carried out to understand the implications for taking sex enhancing drugs or drugs which deal with impotency. A few studies have shown that using Viagra or Cialis could increase a risk for vision loss in men who have a history of heart attacks or high blood pressure.

Ophthalmologic side effects

Apart from this, experts have long noted temporary light sensitivity and color vision problems as possible side effects of the two erectile dysfunction drugs, which are taken by an estimated 23 million American men.

Vision impairment

One quarter of patients who develop the condition in one eye will eventually develop it in the other. Between 30 percent and 40 percent of patients eventually recover some of their vision loss, but for most patients eyesight does not improve, or even gets worse.

Reasons for impairment

How might erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra and Cialis boost eye risks? McGwin and his team speculate the medications might damage the head of the optic nerve by increasing levels of a gas called nitric oxide, normally present in the blood.

It is advisable that people who are concerned about whether they might be at risk should discuss it with their physician or ophthalmologist prior to taking such drugs.

Reports in an issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology found that patients taking Viagra and/or Cialis who also had a history of heart attack were almost 11 times more likely to develop NAION than patients who had no similar heart history and did not take either medication.

A noticeable development in this regard was in July 2005 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided to alter the labeling of Viagra (sildenafil), Cialis (tadalafil), and a third drug, Levitra (vardenafil) to warn of possible serious visual side effects. The labeling also cautioned all patients who experienced sudden vision loss to cease taking the drugs and seek immediate medical attention.