Had my annual eye check up and was told I have early cataracts. This has only occurred since I started taking Arimidex. Asked my onc if this was a side effect and she said NO but on checking the web it is. Also there is a reference to this in this weeks British Medical Association magazine. Just wondered if anyone else had noticed their eyesight deteriorating.
Hi Olivia,
My eyesight has been deteriorating at a very fast rate since christmas. I’ve often wondered if it was a side effect of arimidex which I’ve been taking for over 2 years now. I had an eye test in January and had to have new glasses, they are now no good and I need new ones! (edited by moderator). I asked my optician if arimidex could be responsible for my rapidly deteriorating eyesight and he said no though I’m not convinced. I’ve also started with flashes at the side of my eyes but was told this was a normal part of the ageing process, I’m only 45 for gods sake!!
i have been on arimidex since jan this year, previous to that i had 3 months of zoladex, i have noticed a great deterioration in both my eyes, my gp said not to bother going to the opticians as they would probably get worse whilst on arimidex, i too am only 45, i can think of better things to spend my money on then opticians bills.
Alisonxxx
I am worried about the long term effect - cataracts do not get better when Arimidex stops unlike the hot flushes and other side effects.
Hi,
My eyesight has definitely got worse since taking Arimidex. My last appointment was in August of last year and my optician said my eyes had ‘jumped’ meaning had got worse more than by the usual amount. I asked him if it could be the Arimidex but he didn’t know anything about the drug… and actually asked me if I had become diabetic…which I hadn’t.
My next appointment is due in a month and I can tell that my eyes have got worse yet again so we will wait and see what he says. This time I am going to ask him to investigate from his end about Arimidex.
Sheana x
Hi
Nobody has been listening to me when I tell them about my eyesight deteriorating. Not the onc, not the optician, not even my husband. Or my mom.
I didn’t think it was the Arimidex, i thought it might be because of the chemo. But maybe you’re right. Mine started shortly after I finishedchemo, with long periods of fuzziness when I looked up from reading and tried to refocus on distance - sometimes up to 40 seconds to refocus, it was (and is) very frightening. I also went from prefect eyesight at all focal lengths to only being able to focus from about arms length away, and on much larger type size. And now have glasses which I never had before. And terrible headaches behind the eyes.
I pay a lot of attention to how much eyesight I’m losing because i think it’s deteriorating at a noticable level month on month.
How do we get anyone in oncology to pay any attention?
Hi all
I asked one of our nurses about this and here is her reply. Hope it is of some help
bw Ann
Hi
The moderator has just forwarded your post and its worth mentioning in the initial trials comparing arimidex and tamoxifen, a very small number of cataracts were reported. However it is not clear if this is significant as it occurred in both groups. If anyone has concerns about possible side-effects as a result of their medication, it is important to discuss with your medical team and you can also speak to our helpline staff Monday to Saturday 0808 800 6000.
Thanks
Breast Cancer Care nurse
i’d love to speak to my medical team but i don’t seem to have one!!! just me and the surgeon nowadays! my eyesight was fine before zoladex and arimidex, and it is slowly but surely getting worse, i didn’t have chemo so i can’t even blame it on that, but to go from 1.75 to 2.5 in less than six months makes me wonder just what this drug is going to do to my sight in the future, and believe me, no one wants to say yes it does effect your sight.
Alisonx
Well here is yet another side effect that i have been wondering about for the past few months!! It’s not until i see some thing mentioned that i think “oh yeah i keep getting this and am not sure what’s causing it”!!
I have definitely noticed since Chemo and starting Anastrozole that my eyes are both worse than when i had my eyes tested just before beginning Chemo last Feb 2013.
Especiallly with my right eye which i have to keep blinking to try and clear it as its almost like i have a fuzzy cloud across it and both eyes seem to be full of “floaters”. My hubby works at Asda and he gets free eye tests and he told me to ring up and check if i would qualify for a free eye test as his dependant so maybe i will theni can compare it to last year’s.
Thanks everyone for the info and i will let you know what the optician says if i can get an appointment preety soon. Cheers, Michele x
Hi Ladies
Have been for my routine eye test pleased to say my eyes are showing no signs of deterioration. They did a thoroughly check of my eye health and everything is fine. After the test I did tell the optician I was on Anastrozole
He said that it would be a good idea to have an eye test every year. I have only been on Anastrozole since February so we will see if there is any deterioration next year. I know I have been lucky as I don’t really have any side effects as yet. Best Wishes to everyone.
Take Care
Angie. X
Hi Michele
There is always something to look out for after the diagnosis of BC. We all just want to get on with our lives. Let me know how you get on when you have had your eye test. I am doing ok thank you hope you are.
Take Care
Angie. X
Just been for my first eye test since stsrting taking Anastrozole in January. Optician found traces of bleeding at the back of the eye and referred me to the opthalmologist and when I made the appointment with him, his secretary said I’d been referred for possible glaucoma - first I knew of it! Looking on the internet there are some reports from the States of possible connection between anastrozole and both of these conditions so I was wondering if others had experienced anything similar. Seeing the opthalmologist tomorrow so will learn more then! Gx
Hi ladies, as I mentioned in my previous posts I did get my eyes retested earlier than I was supposed to on the advice of the Optician.
She agreed that the changes in my eyes were indeed something to do with the Anastrozole, or even the Chemo who really knows! I had to have a new prescription which meant 2 new pairs of glasses again! My lovely Mum paid for them as she did my other pairs last year.
So I now have to have regular eye checkups as there will more then likely be further changes to my eyes - I really notice it more when I am outdoors and there are loads of floaters in my vision.
So if you notice anything different with your vision no matter how small, it is worth a visit to your Optician just to have it looked at. I am fortunate that I can have free eye tests as my husband works in Asda where my Optician is. And I can also take my eye prescriptions in when they are having their bi-annual double discount days and use that to buy the glasses, so best of both worlds!!
Cheers, Michele x
Having had 2 eye tests within less than a year with change of strength both times to my glasses, I am wondering if what you have just mentioned, Magical Moon, could be worth me asking for another eye checkup sooner than it is due?
I am constantly blinking trying to clear my vision whether I am wearing my glasses or not. Sometimes it it almost as if there is a little bit of cotton wool across the eye and I am seeing things through a haze. Should I mention this as well as the fact that my eyes water such a lot and make them sore.
2 years ago I never wore my glasses nearly as much as I have to now - partly from vanity (!!) but more so now because I really cannot read or use my Kindle/text on my phone/look at the PC screen anymore without squinting which doesn’t help anyway!!
I have gotten used to having to wear them a lot more now, the only thing that makes me cringe is when someone says when I wear them, ‘you look like your Mum’!! That’s not a bad thing, but I am nowhere near 80 years old yet, but when I am (God willing!) I hope I am like my Mum in many ways - She only just retired from her job at Asda where she was on her feet dashing here there and everywhere as a checkout supervisor from 7am-1pm! And she has nice skin and blue eyes and her own hair (!) and all her marbles are still there! And she still drives all over the place - in fact she hates to stay home all the time and goes off to different places just for something to do!!
Sorry to waffle.
Cheers, Michele x