Eli Lilly and Company’s Lilly Research Laboratories conducted a placebo-controlled, randomized study of the retina in men taking either sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra) or Tadalavil (the active ingredient in Cialis). Two hundred forty-four men between ages 30 and 65 were randomized to take a placebo, 5 mg Cialis, or 50 mg of Viagra every day for six months.
Participants were either healthy or at most had mild erectile dysfunction and did not have any baseline eye problems or risk factors for eye problems.
A scientific study of Cialis on vision found no link between the drug and vision problems. Among the 194 men who finished the study, there was no significant difference found between those who received Cialis or Viagra and those who received a placebo when retina function was tested by electroretinography, intra-optic pressure, visual function tests, or eye anatomy. Researchers concluded that there was no cumulative effect and no damage of clinical significance for men who took
Cialis or Viagra every day for six months.
The most plausible scenario concerning men who experienced sudden vision loss after taking a PDE-5 inhibitor is that these men were prone to vision loss anyway, and that Cialis itself doesn’t cause eye problems except for possibly in a tiny minority of cases.
If anything about your experience taking Cialis, Viagra or any other prescription medication for erectile dysfunction concerns you, then by all means talk to your doctor about it. Serious side
effects from these drugs are quite rare, and when men experience serious problems, it’s not always attributable to the drugs.
You should take your erectile dysfunction drugs exactly as directed by your doctor to minimize the possibility of unpleasant or dangerous side effects. It’s important that you stop taking your Cialis or other erectile dysfunction drug and contact your doctor if you believe you are experiencing a side effect. If your doctor determines that you are experiencing a drug side effect, he or she may choose to report it to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add to the overall body of knowledge about these drugs and their side effects. And the sooner you report any changes that you believe to be side effects, the sooner you can address them safely.
Tens of millions of men all over the world have taken medications including Cialis and other erectile dysfunction drugs like it, and have experienced relief from their problems without suffering from harmful side effects. The safety profile of Cialis and other drugs like it is understood quite well since the drug has been used for many years among men in a range of age groups. It’s unlikely you will experience side effects that are anything worse than annoying.