Pigmentary maculopathy is a severe eye disease that occurs in patients on long-term treatment with Elmiron®.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Elmiron induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with pigmentary maculopathy, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Elmiron and Maculopathy
Pigmentary maculopathy is a new eye disease that only occurs in patients on long-term treatment with Elmiron® (pentosan polysulfate sodium), a drug that treats a painful bladder disease called interstitial cystitis.
Pigmentary Maculopathy Symptoms
- Dark spot near the center of vision
- Blurry vision
- Trouble reading
- Trouble adapting eyes to dim light
- Distorted vision
- Colors are less vivid
- Blindness
What is Pigmentary Maculopathy?
Pigmentary maculopathy is an eye disease that can lead to vision loss and permanent blindness. It is caused by damage to the retina, which is the specialized light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye. It primarily affects the macula, which is the part of the retina that is responsible for central vision. It is also sometimes called “atypical maculopathy.”
What Causes Pigmentary Maculopathy?
The symptoms are similar to other eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration — but unlike other diseases, pigmentary maculopathy is caused by retinal cells literally changing color and darkening at the level of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE).
Is There a Cure?
No. “Unfortunately, the vision-threatening pigmentary maculopathy identified in this study is irreversible and vision loss of this nature is not recoverable,” according to experts at the Emory Eye Institute.
Misdiagnosis is Very Common
Pigmentary maculopathy is commonly misdiagnosed as:
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Pattern dystrophy
- Retinal dystrophy
- Macular dystrophy
- Genetic disorders or age-related vision loss
- Stargardt disease
- Retinal pigmentary endothelium injury
Studies Find Elmiron Eye Damage in Dozens of Patients
Elmiron has been widely-prescribed for decades, but the risk of pigmentary maculopathy only appeared after a 2018 report described 6 women who all developed blurry vision, difficulty reading, and trouble adapting to dim light after taking Elmiron.
The authors of the study described a similar pattern of retinal damage, and named the new disease pigmentary maculopathy due to a similar pattern of pigment changes in the macula.
In 2019, the authors updated the study to report another 32 possible cases of Elmiron eye damage. They warned about “a potential severe toxicity” and the risk of permanent vision loss or blindness.
Study Finds Elmiron Eye Damage in 25% of Patients
In January 2020, a major study confirmed that Elmiron is strongly associated with retinal damage. Investigators found 140 patients on long-term treatment with Elmiron and found that 25% of Elmiron patients had maculopathy.
The study was prompted by a worrisome case of a woman on Elmiron who was misdiagnosed as having a “retinal dystrophy” (a genetic cause of progressive vision loss) and suffered permanent blindness.
Elmiron Lawyers Are Investigating Cases
There is no excuse for drug-makers who sell medications without warning patients (or doctors) about severe side effects, especially blindness. Even mild vision loss can have a devastating impact on a person’s quality of life, depriving them of the ability to read a newspaper or drive a car safely.
Do I have a Pigmentary Maculopathy Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Elmiron induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with pigmentary maculopathy, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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