Tamoxifen and Eyes

Back in November I blogged about the side effects of Tamoxifen that I learned about from a variety of web sites and my medication bottle. One of the side effects noted was visual problems.

Yesterday I learned exactly what that meant. I made my second visit to my optometrist yesterday because I was having pain and difficulty seeing out of my right eye. In February, I went in because I had the same symptoms in my left eye. At that time, it was diagnosed as a corneal infection, I got some steroid/antibiotic eye drops and took them for 10 days. When my right eye started acting up, I assumed the infection had popped up again in the other eye. It did, sort of.

The new diagnosis is a slight corneal infection as the result of corneal erosions. Basically, I have little pits in my cornea that are causing the pain and vision problems. These are the result of inflammation of my cornea and a decrease in tear production.

Because I was having a recurrence, my optometrist spent a long time talking with me about my vision history and the medications I am taking. He noted that the Tamoxifen can suppress the immune system, so strange infections are not uncommon. This I knew. He also checked his PDR, and corneal erosions, it seems, can be caused by Tamoxifen. That, I didn't know! Not everyone gets them, but because I already have an inflammatory disease, Fibromyalgia, I'm more susceptible to this side effect.

So, I'm back on the steroid/antibiotic eye drops and the doctor advised me to start using lubricating eye drops several times a day and to be very conscious about how often I blink, particularly while at work. In a few weeks, if the erosions are better, then I'll go on an anti-inflammatory eye drop along with the lubricating drops for the duration of my Tamoxifen treatment and I'll add regular visits to the optometrist to my list of doctor appointments.

I am well aware that this is not a huge problem, and I am lucky that we caught it early and it can be treated pretty simply, but it just feels like yet one more thing to add to my "joy of cancer" pile. So far, Tamoxifen has introduced me to hot flashes, brain fog, power surges and heart palpitations, mood swings, and now eroded corneas.

Gotta go blink.