A whole class of antibiotics, often prescribed for respiratory and urinary tract infections, have been found to cause a 500x risk increase of retinal detachment.  

The University of B.C. raised alarms about this problem a staggering four years ago, in 2012, and it has taken Health Canada until 2016 to finally require a warning label to be added to the entire class of Fluoroquinolones which create this serious risk of permanent blindness.

22 incidents of retinal detachment associated with the consumption of the antibiotic have been reported in the first review alone.  

Subsequent studies have revealed other disturbing outcomes. A 2014 study by Etminan published in the journal Neurology linked the drugs to cases of permanent nerve damage, while a Taiwanese study published late last year found a link to aortic aneurysm.

Fluoroquinolones — including ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin — are a greater risk to patients than other classes of antibiotics because of the severity of their side effects.

In the U.S. over 40 million prescriptions of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin are written, every single year.   

Chances are that you could be prescribed any one of these brands of antibiotics for any minor respiratory infection today, right now, and never be told about the entirely serious side effects of these drugs.  Please make your friends and family aware of the risks associated with this class of drugs.  

Let’s be clear also that this applies more significantly to moderate to high myopes, than those with uncorrected eyesight.  Retinal detachment risk increases by 500-1000% with moderate to high myopia.  Your retina is thinning measurable even with moderate myopia, and your risk for serious retinal complications is something you should be worried about.

The best way to reduce your retinal detachment risk significantly, is to take immediate and proactive steps to start eliminating your myopia.  You can, you should, and you’ll be saving yourself all sorts of potentially really disheartening experiences with just a bit of prevention.

Cheers,

-Jake