Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 20, 2026
03:40
Nasolacrimal Lavage as a Treatment for Ocular Surface Toxic Soup Syndrome
Published on: April 25, 2025
1.1K
Ocular toxicity of hydroxychloroquine.
Rodney Tehrani1, Rochella A Ostrowski, Richard Hariman
1Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
Seminars in Ophthalmology
|April 25, 2008
Summary
Hydroxychloroquine can cause irreversible retinopathy, a serious ocular complication. Early detection methods are lacking, leading to debate on screening protocols for patients on this medication.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Rheumatology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Hydroxychloroquine has been a treatment for rheumatic and dermatologic conditions since the 1950s.
- Ocular toxicity is a known risk associated with hydroxychloroquine use.
- Irreversible retinopathy represents the most severe ocular complication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current literature on ocular complications associated with hydroxychloroquine.
- To highlight the challenges in early identification of hydroxychloroquine-induced ocular toxicity.
- To discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding screening recommendations for patients.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on hydroxychloroquine ocular toxicity.
- Analysis of current diagnostic criteria and screening guidelines.
- Synthesis of evidence regarding retinopathy development and detection.
Main Results:
- Hydroxychloroquine is associated with significant ocular toxicity, including retinopathy.
- No definitive "gold standard" exists for pre-symptomatic identification of ocular toxicity.
- This diagnostic gap fuels controversy in recommended ophthalmologic screening practices.
Conclusions:
- Ocular toxicity, particularly retinopathy, is a critical concern for patients on long-term hydroxychloroquine therapy.
- The absence of a reliable early detection method complicates patient monitoring.
- Further research is needed to establish standardized and effective screening protocols to prevent irreversible vision loss.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Toxic Reactions: Overview
1.8K
When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
1.8K
01:21Frequency-dependent Selection
23.1K
When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
23.1K
02:39Predator-Prey Interactions
21.1K
Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.
21.1K
02:02Responses to Salt Stress
14.5K
Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
14.5K
02:24Comparative Excretory Systems
26.5K
Animals have evolved different strategies for excretion, the removal of waste from the body. Most waste must be dissolved in water to be excreted, so an animal’s excretory strategy directly affects its water balance.
26.5K
03:20The Stanford Prison Experiment
24.6K
The famous and controversial Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted by social psychologist Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues at Stanford University, demonstrated the power of social roles, social norms, and scripts.
24.6K