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Ocular adverse effects of bladder medication: a systematic review
Arshpreet Bassi1, Daiana Roxana Pur1, Anthony Chifor2
1Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology
|May 13, 2022
Summary
Common bladder medications for overactive bladder and interstitial cystitis can cause adverse ocular symptoms, with blurred vision being most frequent. Ocular safety should be assessed in patients undergoing drug therapy.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pharmacology
- Urology
Background:
- Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are increasingly prevalent in an aging population.
- Medications are a common second-line treatment for LUTS, particularly overactive bladder (OAB) and interstitial cystitis (IC).
- Older patients with comorbidities are vulnerable to adverse drug effects, necessitating awareness of potential side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between frequently prescribed medications for OAB and IC and adverse ocular symptoms.
- To systematically review the literature for reported vision-threatening side effects associated with these bladder medications.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive systematic literature search was performed across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, HealthSTAR) and clinicaltrials.gov.
- Covidence review software was used to manage and screen the identified articles.
- Data from 23 included studies, covering 10 medications and 8459 patients, were analyzed for reported ocular adverse events.
Main Results:
- Blurred vision was the most commonly reported adverse ocular effect (12 studies).
- Mirabegron was associated with the widest range of ocular side effects (6 categories).
- Cizolirthine Citrate and Elocatitol had the fewest reported ocular side effects.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights that medications for OAB and IC can lead to various adverse ocular symptoms.
- There is a need to assess ocular safety in patients receiving systemic drug therapy for bladder conditions.
- Future research should focus on the long-term tolerability and ocular safety profiles of these medications.
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