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 analyzed health records of about 74,000 men aged 40 and older with lower urinary tract symptoms to assess whether prolonged tadalafil use is associated with glaucoma. The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, compared roughly 37,000 men prescribed tadalafil with a similar group who did not use phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, the drug class that includes Cialis. Over a follow-up period of up to five years, the researchers tracked new diagnoses of glaucoma, intra-ocular pressure elevation, and the need for glaucoma treatment. Men taking tadalafil were 22% more likely to develop any form of glaucoma, 32% more likely to experience high eye pressure, and 33% more likely to develop primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common type.
"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 study. She added that comprehensive eye examinations are needed to detect early signs, particularly for individuals with a family history of glaucoma, high intra-ocular pressure, or severe nearsightedness.
The authors noted that the observational design cannot establish causality and that changes in medication use or emerging health conditions were not accounted for. They cautioned that the findings do not imply patients should discontinue tadalafil, but recommended regular eye monitoring for long-term users, especially those with existing risk factors. Requests for comment were sent to Eli Lilly, the maker of Cialis, and to the study investigators.