Amanda Antell  |  May 28, 2015

Category: Legal News

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quinolone-eye-injuryIn a study published in the January 2015 issue of the journal JAMA Ophthalmology, scientists found further evidence that quinolone antibiotics may cause permanent eye damage. The makers of these popular antibiotics have recently faced a number of allegations regarding severe quinolone side effects, including nerve damage and blindness.

Quinolones are a group of antibiotic drugs used to treat a variety of bacterial infections and are some of the most popular and oft-prescribed antibiotics in the United States. Unfortunately, patients who are prescribed quinolones, especially Avelox, reportedly suffer a high incidence of various quinolone eye injuries such as retinal detachment, uveitis, and pigment dispersion syndrome.

In the recent JAMA study, researchers looked at injury reports involving patients who developed uveitis after being prescribed Avelox (Moxifloxacin), Levaquin (Levofloxacin), or Cipro (Ciprofloxacin). Uveitis is a condition where the eye’s middle layer, consisting of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid, or uvea, becomes inflamed. The condition can lead to eye pains and episodes of blurry vision. Uveitis is a relatively common condition that affects over 300,000 patients in the United States, and is the cause of 10 percent of new blindness cases each year.

Overview of Quinolone Eye Injuries Study

The quinolone eye injury study was meant to further explore the possible connection between quinolone antibiotics and eye injuries like uveitis, with the focus being on the drug Avelox. The case-control study was conducted with male patients aged 40 to 85, between January 2001 to December 2011.

Out of the thousands of patients studied, researchers identified 13,313 uveitis cases. Compared to non-quinolone patients, first-time Avelox users exhibited the highest risk of developing uveitis, with a result ratio of 2.98. Patients who were prescribed Cipro showed a 1.96 result ratio, while Levaquin patients exhibited a 1.26 ratio. Each of the non-quinolone patients showed a lower likelihood of developing uveitis when compared to each of the quinolone patients.

Based on the results of the quinolone eye injury study, the researchers concluded that Avelox and Cipro increased the risk of uveitis. While Levaquin showed a tendency to cause eye damage, the scientists concluded that it may carry the least risk of uveitis of the observed quinolone antibiotic drugs. Additionally, the scientists noted that their study produced similar results as other similar medical inquiries, suggesting that there may be a causal link between quinolones and eye injuries.

The scientists state that their study was strong due to the large sample group of subjects who qualified for the study, none of whom had a past history of adverse drug reactions. However, the study was limited by the fact that all participants were older men, and by the fact that the research database only provided information on prescriptions, rather than actual use.

The researchers recommended further studies in order to confirm the risk of quinolone eye injuries. In the meantime, medical care providers should be aware of the possible risk of uveitis and other eye injuries when prescribing quinolones.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, antibiotic injury lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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