Submitted by administrator on
A research article published in Canada has announced that osteoporosis drugs could increase a patients risks of developing serious inflammatory eye disease in first-time users.
The drugs commonly prescribed to prevent osteoporosis are oral bisphosphonates and have previously been linked to adverse side effects like fractures, oesophageal, colon cancer and irregular heartbeat. Reports claim that some have shown associations between the drugs and and scleritis, anterior uveitis, both inflammatory eye diseases that can have serious effects on eye health and vision.
The study examined and aimed to quantify the risk associated with uveitis or scleritis and oral bisphosphonates because literature is limited on the effects. Just over nine hundred thousand British Columbians who had visited an ophthalmologist between 2000 and 2007 were used in the research. Out of the total, 10 827 were first-time users of bisphosphonates and 923 320 were non-users.
It was recorded that the incidence rates for uveitis in first time users of the drugs were 29/10 000 person-years and 63/10 000 person-years for scleritis compared with 20/10 000 person-years for uveitis and 63/10 000 for scleritis in nonusers.
First-time users of bisphosphonates were shown to have an increased risk of scleritis and uveitisites. Most package inserts included with oral bisphosphonates for scleritis and uveitis do not highlight the risks of inflammatory ocular adverse effects.
The study highlights the need for ophthalmists to reliably inform all patients about the early signs and symptoms of both eye diseases so that prompt treatment may be sought and further complications averted.
Patients taking oral bisphosphonates must be aware of symptoms for these eye conditions so they can seek treatment. These include for scleritis;
- Blurred Vision
- Eye pain and tenderness - severe
- Red patches on the normally white part of the eye
- Light sensitivity- very painful
- Tearing of the eye
A rare form of this disease causes no eye pain or redness pushing the requirement for regular ophthalmic examinations further.
In uveitis symptoms include all of the above with the addition and not restricted to ark, floating spots in the vision.