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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Johnny32 on October 23, 2009, at 7:28:26
Hello everybody.
I've been on Paxil (20 mg) for 9 years. 3 years ago, I had to buy glasses for myopia (cca.-1 diopters). A few months ago, I had to buy more powerful glasses (-3). I just went back on Paxil (3 days now) after a 2 months pause and my vision is a little blurred at the moment.
I m also using the computer aprox 9 hours per day.
Can Paxil cause progressive myopia? Or is it the computer use?
Will the blurred vision improve after the body reacquires a tolerance to paxil?Ty for reading.
PS: I apologize for my english - it's not my native language.
Posted by Deneb on October 23, 2009, at 7:40:51
In reply to Can Paxil cause myopia?, posted by Johnny32 on October 23, 2009, at 7:28:26
Hi Johnny32
Welcome to Psycho-Babble!
I've never heard of Paxil causing myopia, but that doesn't mean it can't be a side effect. People have all sorts of side effects on meds.
Spending 9 hours in front of a computer sounds bad for your eyes. You may be straining them. That's what happened to me one year. I had never needed glasses, but then slowly I became near sighted. It wasn't really bad or anything, but I couldn't see the screen in class. I ended up getting glasses, and used them for a year. Then strangely my eyes got better and now I don't need glasses anymore. My theory is that I did a lot of studying that year and strained my eyes.
I've taking SSRI's (which Paxil is) for years and have never noticed any effect on my eyes.
I think you should take breaks from the computer often and look at things far away often so your eyes don't get strained.
Deneb
Posted by Johnny32 on October 23, 2009, at 9:30:22
In reply to Can Paxil cause myopia?, posted by Johnny32 on October 23, 2009, at 7:28:26
Ty Deneb for your answer.
Posted by Phillipa on October 23, 2009, at 12:28:59
In reply to Re: Can Paxil cause myopia?, posted by Johnny32 on October 23, 2009, at 9:30:22
Hope this helps dose sound like the 9 hours of computer work could be causing this. Phillipa
Posted by Johnny32 on October 23, 2009, at 13:35:30
In reply to Re: Can Paxil cause myopia? » Johnny32, posted by Phillipa on October 23, 2009, at 12:28:59
Ty Phillipa. Yes, it looks like the computer is the problem...
Posted by yxibow on October 23, 2009, at 18:52:06
In reply to Can Paxil cause myopia?, posted by Johnny32 on October 23, 2009, at 7:28:26
> Hello everybody.
> I've been on Paxil (20 mg) for 9 years. 3 years ago, I had to buy glasses for myopia (cca.-1 diopters). A few months ago, I had to buy more powerful glasses (-3). I just went back on Paxil (3 days now) after a 2 months pause and my vision is a little blurred at the moment.
> I m also using the computer aprox 9 hours per day.
> Can Paxil cause progressive myopia? Or is it the computer use?
> Will the blurred vision improve after the body reacquires a tolerance to paxil?
>
> Ty for reading.
>
> PS: I apologize for my english - it's not my native language.
It does sound like one of those issues of correlation does not imply causation.If you don't mind asking, what is your approximate age / sex ?
Having a myopic vision change can occur to anyone in their adult life. There are genetic reasons that can cause this, and as noted, some researchers do believe there is an environmental factor (e.g. your intensive use of computing) that can also have causes.
As for the "just went back on..." How did you taper this and go back on and what does it serve for ? Its probably unrelated to this discussion, but going off Paxil and going back on quickly -- getting off of it and getting back on can be fairly rough for some people because of its short half life.This is not to say that (reverse) anxiety is going to cause massive myopia, that's another non-correlation, I was just curious.
It is unfortunately possible to experience this variety of degrading of vision in 3 years although usually this would be with a much older individual I would think.Are you seeing a optometrist or have you gotten a full workup by a full eye doctor (opthamologist) to examine these issues ? I would think considering the changes that might be useful.
But as for the Paxil, I would think this would be an extraordinarily rare event if it could occur, and you have been on it already for 9 years, which would make it more rare.
-- tidings
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on October 24, 2009, at 15:43:45
In reply to Can Paxil cause myopia?, posted by Johnny32 on October 23, 2009, at 7:28:26
Would Prozac maybe sound like a better option?
It hit's the serotonin, and some of the NE receptor's, I don't think Paxil does, only serotonin.
This is the end of the thread.
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