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Eyesight problems on Topamax
Mon, 12/22/2008 - 15:29I have been on Topamax for a few months and have developed "after-images". My eyes will hang on to an image and it will stay in my vision for a few seconds until it fades even though I'm looking somewhere else.
I also have trailing images from moving objects. I've also got awful double vision (from about 10+ feet away) but my neurologist seemed to doubt that it was true double vision as it was still present when he covered one of my eyes. It made me feel as though I was making it up!
Anyone else got this problem? I'm presuming it is the Topamax causing this as it is constant so I know its not a seizure.
I hope I have explained the "after-image" thing ok, not an easy thing to explain.
Comments
Re: Eyesight problems on Topamax
Submitted by Jackie Eyerly on Sun, 2009-11-15 - 14:00
I was shocked to see that others were describing the exact symptoms I had been having for over a year on Topamax. I took the medication to prevent cluster migraine, and it was effective. At 75mg i began to see the "tracers" and after images. I went to the opthamalogist and was told i had healthy eyes , no problems, I was told the symptoms might be related to my blood sugar being too high (I'm Diabetic). I thought all was well, but the symptoms were annoying and i knew something was wrong. On 11/11/09, just a few days ago i woke up with pain in my left eye and it felt dry and irritated. I went to work where the Nurse said "the pupil of your left eye is dilated, but you right eye looks normal. I called my primary care doctor and was told to go to the ER immediately. I was sent to an emergency opthamalogist who diagnose ACUTE NARROW ANGLE GLAUCOMA. Untreated I could have been permanently blind in 24 hours. I had seen a opthamologst 3 months earlier for a dilated eye exam and no problems were found. Please!!!!!! All of you who have the symptoms take heed, insist that your Doctors test your eye pressures FREQUENTLY, not every 6 months to a years. Print out all of these messages where others are repoting the same symptoms. I have 20/300 vision in my Left eye, and am told that some of my vision will come back, but.... what if it had been caught earlier? I am now weaning off topamax, down to 25mg and with the eye drops I use to treat the high pressure in the eyes, my symptoms of tracers and after images have completely disappeared. I hope that this message can save at least one persons eyesight if not more. Topamax should come with a warning that states that Narrow Angle Glaucoma is not a rare side effect, and lists the symptoms that we have all reported.
I was shocked to see that others were describing the exact symptoms I had been having for over a year on Topamax. I took the medication to prevent cluster migraine, and it was effective. At 75mg i began to see the "tracers" and after images. I went to the opthamalogist and was told i had healthy eyes , no problems, I was told the symptoms might be related to my blood sugar being too high (I'm Diabetic). I thought all was well, but the symptoms were annoying and i knew something was wrong. On 11/11/09, just a few days ago i woke up with pain in my left eye and it felt dry and irritated. I went to work where the Nurse said "the pupil of your left eye is dilated, but you right eye looks normal. I called my primary care doctor and was told to go to the ER immediately. I was sent to an emergency opthamalogist who diagnose ACUTE NARROW ANGLE GLAUCOMA. Untreated I could have been permanently blind in 24 hours. I had seen a opthamologst 3 months earlier for a dilated eye exam and no problems were found. Please!!!!!! All of you who have the symptoms take heed, insist that your Doctors test your eye pressures FREQUENTLY, not every 6 months to a years. Print out all of these messages where others are repoting the same symptoms. I have 20/300 vision in my Left eye, and am told that some of my vision will come back, but.... what if it had been caught earlier? I am now weaning off topamax, down to 25mg and with the eye drops I use to treat the high pressure in the eyes, my symptoms of tracers and after images have completely disappeared. I hope that this message can save at least one persons eyesight if not more. Topamax should come with a warning that states that Narrow Angle Glaucoma is not a rare side effect, and lists the symptoms that we have all reported.
Re: Eyesight problems on Topamax
Submitted by Chilli on Tue, 2009-10-06 - 15:07
I've found others now that have had vision problems whilst on Topamax.
How come we aren't being warned about this more before we are started on the drug?
It would have saved me a lot of anguish and eye tests if I had known that it was likely to be the Topamax.
I've found others now that have had vision problems whilst on Topamax.
How come we aren't being warned about this more before we are started on the drug?
It would have saved me a lot of anguish and eye tests if I had known that it was likely to be the Topamax.