Cialis and Blindness

Because loss of vision can occur (in extremely rare cases) during treatment with Cialis, some people have questions about Cialis and blindness. In people taking PDE5 inhibitors, including Cialis, there have been rare cases of a condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). This condition can lead to sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes. Because of this risk, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any loss of vision in one or both eyes while taking Cialis.

 

An Overview of Cialis and Blindness

There are a number of possible side effects of Cialis® (tadalafil). Some of these side effects can affect vision. For example, up to 2 percent of people taking Cialis may:
 
  • See a blue tinge to objects
  • Have difficulty telling the difference between blue and green
  • Have eye pain
  • Have blurred vision.
     
There have also been reports of other rare problems with vision in people taking Cialis. Temporary or permanent blindness has been one of these very rare complaints. However, given how infrequently blindness occurs, it is not possible to say whether it is from the medicine, other medical conditions, genetics, a combination of these factors, or something completely unrelated.
 

Cialis and Blindness -- NAION

In people taking PDE5 inhibitors, including Cialis, there have been rare cases of a condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). This condition can lead to sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes. In most cases, people who developed NAION while taking Cialis already had risk factors that increased their chances of developing NAION. Some of these risk factors include:
 
(Cialis and Blindness Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;