Transient Drug-Induced Myopia

Abstract

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a refractive error, a condition in which the cornea and lens of the nonaccommoding eye have too much plus power for the length of eye. As a result, images of distant objects are focused in front of the retina and thus appear blurred. Transient drug-induced myopia is a myopia induced by a drug as a transient side effect. Several case reports of transient drug-induced myopia have been reported. These cases have been associated with secondary angle closure glaucoma and other ocular conditions such as choroidal detachment, maculopathy, retinal folds. Drugs known to produce this effect include sulfa drugs and other medications. The possible mechanism is thought to be an allergic reaction to the drug. Both ciliary muscle contraction and ciliary body edema may play role in the pathomechanism. Differential diagnosis is made with a number of conditions, either ocular in origin or associated with an underlying systemic cause. Discontinuation of medications leads to complete resolution of the anatomic shift. *Corresponding author: Kaimbo DKW, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology and Biophysics, University of Kinshasa, Tel: +243998238928, E-mail: dieudonne_kaimbo@yahoo.com Kaimbo DKW* Myopia is the most common eye disease and is one of the leading causes of vision impairment worldwide [1,2]. Prevalence of myopia is significantly different among racial groups, although its worldwide prevalence is approximately 30% (3%– 84%) [3]. The highest prevalence is found in East Asia, such as mainland China [3]. The prevalence of myopia in the US population was estimated in the early 1970s to be 25% in persons aged 12 to 54 years [4]. A recent meta-analysis of population-based studies found a prevalence of 25% in persons over age 40 [5]. Myopia (nearsightedness) is a refractive error, a condition in which the cornea and lens of the nonaccommoding eye have too much plus power for the length of eye. As a result, images of distant objects are focused in front of the retina and thus appear blurred. Citation: Kaimbo DKW (2014) Transient Drug-Induced Myopia. SAJ Case Rep 1(1): 105. doi: 10.18875/23757043.1.105 Volume 1 | Issue 1 Volume 1 | Issue 1 Research Article Open Access SAJ Case Reports www.scholarena.com Myopia has been recognized as a distinct visual disability for millennia and has been known for more than 2000 years and was first described by the ancient Greeks [6,7]. It was probably the ancient Greeks who coined the term, using the roots myein (to close) and ops (eye) to characterize those individuals who narrow their eyelids to improve distance visual acuity, the pinhole effect. The focus of distant parallel rays of light falls anterior to the retinal plane and produces a blurred image in myopia. This situation can arise because either the primary refractive components are too powerful or the globe is too long. Thus, myopia can be due to increased corneal or lenticular curvature, or an increase in the lens index of refraction, as occurs with the development of nuclear sclerosis. More commonly, myopia is the result of axial elongation of the posterior segment of the eye. Transient drug-induced myopia is a myopia induced by a drug as a transient side effect. A side effect (adverse drug reaction) is basically an unintended, unwanted occurrence that results from taking a drug. An adverse drug reaction is an expression that describes harm associated with the use of given medication at a normal dosage during normal use. Adverse drug reactions may occur following a single dose or prolonged administration of a drug or result from the combination of two or more drugs [8]. All drugs that come in the market may cause side effects, where many are minor and few are serious. Article history: Received: 26 June 2014 Accepted: 12 August 2014 Published: 14 August 2014 ISSN: 2375-7043