Can statin drugs cause eye problems?

The most highly reported ocular adverse events associated with statins were blurred vision (48.4%) and visual impairment (25.7%). Results from logistic regression indicated that the ocular problems formed a greater proportion of the adverse events for subjects taking atorvastatin (2.1%).

Can taking statins affect your eyes?

Some reports have found an increased risk of cataracts from statin use, while others showed no association or even a protective effect. One possible mechanism may be statins' bidirectional effects on oxidation processes, including a possible mitochondrial effect that may increase the risk of cataracts.

Can cholesterol medicine cause vision problems?

But parts of the cholesterol-synthesis pathway are needed for the GPCR signaling pathway to function, which explains the temporary negative side effects while taking statins, such as blurred vision or short-term memory loss.

Does atorvastatin cause vision problems?

Statin-associated eye problems appear to be rare, but they have been reported as side effects. We discuss a case of statin-induced diplopia in a patient who had been on atorvastatin therapy for years.

What is the most common side effect of statins?

Muscle pain and damage

One of the most common complaints of people taking statins is muscle pain. You may feel this pain as a soreness, tiredness or weakness in your muscles. The pain can be a mild discomfort, or it can be severe enough to make your daily activities difficult.

Statin Side Effects | Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin, Simvastatin Side Effects & Why They Occur

What is the best statin with the least side effects?

According to a research review people who take simvastatin (Zocor) or pravastatin (Pravachol) may experience fewer side effects.

Can you get off statins once you start?

If you're taking a statin medication to lower your cholesterol, you will need to keep taking your prescription, or your cholesterol will likely go back up. Stopping your statin can put you at risk of having heart disease and other preventable health problems like stroke and heart attack from high cholesterol.

What is the downside of atorvastatin?

Worsening liver problems and liver failure

Though rare, atorvastatin (Lipitor) can cause serious liver problems that can lead to liver failure. You'll need to get blood tests to check your liver health before and during treatment to make sure their liver is working properly.

Can statin drugs cause macular degeneration?

However, statin use for more than 12 months was surprisingly associated with an increased risk for developing neovascular AMD (p < 0.005). Among those taking statins, only the ones with the highest lipid levels had an increased risk of developing neovascular AMD (p < 0.05).

What are the most common side effects of atorvastatin?

What does high cholesterol do to your eyes?

One ocular sign of high cholesterol is a bluish ring that forms near the outside of the cornea, the otherwise clear, front part of the eye. These rings, called “arcus senilis,” appear most commonly with age as more cholesterol gets deposited into the cornea.

Is there a new drug to replace statins?

PCSK-9 inhibitors thus reduce cholesterol levels by maintaining higher levels of LDL receptors that remove cholesterol from the blood. Currently, PCSK-9 inhibitors are limited in use as they must be administered as shots. Further research into them could expand their use as an alternative to statins.

Does blurred vision from medication go away?

Side effects include changes in color perception, blurred vision, eye pain and photophobia. Fortunately, side effects rarely occur (although they are more common among patients that take higher doses) and resolve once the patient stops taking the drug.

What are the symptoms of statin toxicity?

An inability to tolerate a dose of statin required to reduce a person's cardiovascular risk sufficiently from their baseline risk and could result from different statin related side effects, including; muscle symptoms, headache, sleep disorders, dyspepsia, nausea, rash, alopecia, erectile dysfunction, gynecomastia, and ...

Do all statins cause cataracts?

Conclusions. Based on the present meta‐analysis of these studies, we could only conclude that there is no clear evidence showing that statin use increases the risk of cataracts. The most likely case is that there is no association between statin use and cataracts.

Does lipitor cause vision changes?

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Treatment with a cholesterol-lowering “statin” drug may very occasionally cause double-vision, eyelid-droop, or weakness of the muscles that control eye movement, investigators report.. Dr.

Which drug increases the risk of macular degeneration?

If you take medication to lower your blood pressure, it's important to know that you could be increasing your risk of developing AMD, or age-related macular degeneration. These risks are significantly increased if you take Apresoline and Loniten, both of which dilate the blood vessels.

Do statin drugs cause dry eyes?

Did you know that the lipid lowering cholesterol medications called “statins” might also cause lipid layer instability in your tear film-and lead to dry eye symptoms?

What is the leading cause of macular degeneration?

No one knows exactly what causes dry macular degeneration. Research indicates that it may be a combination of family genes and environmental factors, including smoking, obesity and diet. The condition develops as the eye ages.

What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?

Why would a doctor stop atorvastatin?

Dr. Carimi says muscle-related complications are the most common side effect from taking statins. “The most common reason people stop taking statins is because of side effects, like muscle aches, but many have muscle pains from other causes and stop taking the medication in error,” Dr. Carimi says.

Is it OK to stop atorvastatin suddenly?

Do not suddenly stop taking your prescribed medication without talking with your doctor first. If you have side effects from the medication, your doctor might adjust your dosage or recommend a different statin or other combination of medications.

What should a 70 year old cholesterol be?

After having their cholesterol tested, seniors should be given a number between 190 and 260. Healthy seniors should keep their total cholesterol below 200 and their LDL cholesterol around 100. If your elderly loved one's LDL cholesterol level is above 160, he or she must start making sweeping lifestyle changes.

Why do people not want to take statins?

Fear of side effects and perceived side effects are the most common reasons for declining or discontinuing statin therapy. Willingness to take a statin is high, among both patients who have declined statin therapy and those who have never been offered one.

What happens when you stop taking statins cold turkey?

Stopping your statin can cause your cholesterol levels to increase and can put you at a greater risk for heart attack or stroke. While undesirable side effects may go away when you stop your statin, your risk of greater health problems can increase.