New research shows a strong link between the use of popular antibiotic medications in the fluoroquinolone family and an increased risk for developing uveitis, an eye condition that could result in blindness.

In a recent case study, first-time users of Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and moxifloxacin (Avelox) had a greater risk of developing various eye conditions, including detached retinas, pigment dispersion syndrome and uveitis when compared to users of other types of drugs. 

JAMA Ophthalmology study findings showed Avelox consumers are three times more at risk of developing uveitis compared to non-users, while Cipro users face twice the risk.

Researchers followed 130,000 men over a 10-year period. Of those studied, about 13,000 developed uveitis after taking a quinolone antibiotic compared to those who were not on any antibiotic medication. 

Quinolone lawsuit attorneys are seeking out patients who used Cipro, Avelox and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics and suffered eye injuries as a result.

What is Uveitis?

As the nation’s third leading cause of blindness, uveitis effects 300,000 individuals each year. Uveitis is characterized by the inflammation of the pigmented middle layer of the eye (uvea) and usually shows up with the following uveitis symptoms:

• Eye pain
• Decreased vision
• Eye redness
• Blurred vision
• Loss of vision
• Floaters (dark, floating spots in your field of vision)
• Eye irritation
• Light sensitivity

Left untreated, uveitis may result in detached retina, which occurs after the retina peels away from its underlying layer of support tissues.

Detached retinas can lead to blindness. About 10 percent of new blindness reports each year in the U.S. are related to uveitis.

Pigment Dispersion Syndrome Symptoms

Pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) is another eye disorder recently linked to the prescription of quinolone family of antibiotics.

Pigment dispersion occurs when the pigment color of the eye moves from the iris to other parts of the eye. The eye disease may lead to pigmentary glaucoma if left untreated.

Pigment Dispersion Syndrome symptoms include: eye pain, blurred vision, and seeing colored halos around lights.

Researchers have found that taking the quinolone antibiotic Avelox puts users at about five times higher risk for developing pigment dispersion syndrome over non-users.

Avelox and Cipro Side Effects

Quinolone antibiotic medications, including bestsellers Cipro and Avelox, carry drug warnings of various side effects, but patients filing quinolone lawsuits allege the warnings carry little if any caution about possible eye damage.

Some fluoroquinolone users claim drug manufactures have been negligent in their warnings and intentionally concealed information about possible eye injuries related to taking the antibiotic medications.

Product liability attorneys are looking for individuals who took levofloxacin (Levaquin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), moxifloxacin (Avelox), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), or gemifloxacin (Factive) and were later diagnosed with an eye disorder, such as:

• Uveitis
• Retinal detachment
• Pigment Dispersion Syndrome
• Blindness

Individuals looking to be compensated for eye injuries after taking Cipro, Avelox, Noroxin, Floxin, Levaquin, or Factive are joining a growing number of quinolone lawsuits.

Many times filing a lawsuit either as a class member in a class action lawsuit or an individual is the only way to recover damages for pain and suffering as well as the high medical costs associated with eye injuries.