Statins May Cause Eye Disorder
A recent study by the Oregon Health & Science University shows that the cholesterol lowering statin drugs may cause a muscular eye disorder.
Dr. F.W. Fraunfelder led the study, looking at reports of double vision (diplopia), drooping of the upper eyelid (ptosis), and loss of full range of motion of the eyes (ophthalmoplegia) in the databases of the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Drug Administration.
Statins are known to cause muscle problems in some patients, but this is the first report linking statins to muscle problems of the eye. Statins work by preventing cholesterol from forming. This may be good for preventing heart disease, but can cause problems in muscle by preventing the tissue from repairing and regenerating normally. Other muscle problems experienced by statin users include muscle aching, pain, inflammation, weakness, and deterioration of the tissue.
The eye disorder was rare, occurring in 0.1 percent of patients, but those who were taking gemfibrozil (another cholesterol lowering drug) at the same time as statins were at a higher risk with 0.5 to 2.5 percent occurrence.
Of the 256 patients reported on, 23 lost eye range of motion, 8 had drooping upper eyelids, and 18 people experienced both double vision and drooping eyelids. All patients’ symptoms went away after they stopped taking statins. The study was unable to determine which eye muscles were involved based from the patient database information or how long it took for them to fully recover.
Please share your thoughts and experiences! Have you or someone you know experienced side effects from taking Lipitor?
30. December 2008 at 10:01 am :
I’ve been on simvastatin for 3 or 4 months and have experienced growing problems with diplopia over that time. (I had some minor problems with it before going on the drug.) I am relieved to have discovered a possible explanation for my problem and will talk with my family doctor and opthalmologist about this possibility. Thank you for this posting!