October 8, 2014 — In the first-known study of its kind, researchers have found an association between the antibiotics Avelox and Cipro and uveitis, a serious eye disease that causes swelling and irritation.
The study was published in JAMA Ophthalmology by researchers from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. They analyzed health records on nearly 150,000 men between the ages of 40-85, including over 13,300 who were diagnosed with uveitis during follow-ups between 2001-2011.
The researchers concluded that current first-time users of Avelox were nearly three times as likely to be diagnosed with uveitis compared to non-users. Cipro was associated with nearly a doubled increased risk. Levaquin was not associated with an increased risk, suggesting it poses the least risk among the three most popular fluoroquinolones.
What is Uveitis?
Uveitis is an eye disease (also known as irisitis) that causes swelling and irritation of the uvea, which is the middle layer of the eye that supplies most of the blood to the retina.
Symptoms
- Blurry vision
- Dark, floating spots in vision
- Eye pain
- Redness of the eye
- Sensitivity to light
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