Study Finds Tadalafil Use Linked to Higher Risk of Glaucoma
Research involving nearly 74,000 men suggests that long-term use of the erectile dysfunction drug tadalafil may increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma and elevated eye pressure.
An international research team examined health records of almost 74,000 men aged 40 and older with lower urinary tract symptoms to assess whether prolonged use of tadalafil, a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, is associated with glaucoma. The analysis compared roughly 37,000 men prescribed tadalafil with a similar group who did not use any drugs from this class, following participants for up to five years.
The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, found that men taking tadalafil were 22% more likely to develop glaucoma, 32% more likely to experience increased intra-ocular pressure, and 33% more likely to be diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the disease.
"Glaucoma is an eye condition that especially in its early stages often does not present with visual symptoms," said Dr. Valerie Kattouf, an optometrist at the Illinois Eye Institute, who was not involved in the research.
"Clinical findings of glaucoma are best detected in a comprehensive vision evaluation," she added, noting that individuals with a family history of glaucoma, high eye pressure, or severe nearsightedness may be at greater risk. Kattouf recommended that regular tadalafil users undergo comprehensive eye exams to establish a baseline and monitor any changes.
The authors cautioned that the observational design cannot prove causation and that medication changes or emerging health conditions were not fully accounted for. They emphasized that the findings do not warrant discontinuing tadalafil but suggest that long-term users, especially those with existing risk factors, should consider periodic eye monitoring.
The researchers and Eli Lilly, the maker of Cialis, were contacted for comment.