Three months ago I had lasik eye surgery and today I saw the doctor for another re-check. I mentioned to him that I was nearly at the 6 month mark for Plaquenil and that my RD said to get my eyes examined every six months. The doctor said I should have been told to get a baseline retinal eye exam when I first started the Plaquenil to be compared with later tests, but that taking one now would be OK since the retinal eye problem that sometimes comes is not only rare, but almost never shows up before a year on the medication and usually not until several years of use. Were any of you told to get a baseline eye exam when you started Plaquenil or it's generic version? Right now I'm a bit annoyed with my RD over this.
[QUOTE=Jesse88]Were any of you told to get a baseline eye exam when you started Plaquenil or it's generic version?
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I don't believe I was told to by my doctor. I think I was on plaquenil for a few months before starting my eye exams. I've been taking plaquenil for over 15 years now without any problems.
Yes, my RD told me to get a baseline exam within a month or two of starting Plaquenil and every 6 months thereafter. Yes, my RD required an exam before I started Plaquenil. My Ophthalmologist told me for the first 5 years, I could get the exam yearly, after that, he wants me to have it every 6 months. He said the Plaquenil has a cumulative effect in the eyes.Yes, I was required to have a baseline scan before beginning therapy, then one at six months, and then each year.My 12 year old daughter is on plaq and we were told to get a baseline exam and then at 6 months and then yearly for her.
Hello! I was told to get a base line before i was able to start the med. I was then told every 6 months after starting it but for me it would be almost a year (I forgot about it untill recently and the next avaiable appt is in dec). I was also told that if you do develop eye problems that going off the med would reverse the issue and not cause any perminate problems... good luck!
-Jessica
I researched before starting plaquenil that I needed a baseline, so I made an appointment and had the field vision test, then started the plaquenil which the rheumy prescribed, but did not mention anything about getting the eyes tested. Typical. Then I had a terrible episode of left eye blindness during the test. Had a head/brain MRI which showed nothing, typical. I always like how they always run just one test, and when it comes back normal, that's the end of their investigation. Do they only make one stab at it?
Just went back for my 1st six-month test (had the left eye blindness again) and the eye doctor had me sign a release for all my blood work by the rheumy as he wanted to review my ESR/SED and anti-CCP results. So, I have no idea what is going on, but something caught his attention. He said he saw pigmentation, and the tester said that I had absolutely no blind spot in either eye, which was highly unusual. I think it explains why I am such a good spy :)
It's always something.
my dr did tell me to schedule an eye exam when he prescribed me with the plaquenil. he told me that eye issues were rare and usually occured when the dosing wasnt correct, he did however tell me i had to go to the eye dr just in case.Erica, I had some stomach issues with the Plaq. at first, but it gradually got better. Hang in there.
I'm really annoyed with my RD right now. It seems most of you were given good advice. Thanks for the posts.
I was also told by my Rheumy to have a baseline done prior to starting the medication. I have to have a recheck in 6 months.I asked about having an eye exam when my RD started me on Plaquenil. He said that as there was history of eye disorders in my family and the side-effect is so rare it wasn't worth it. I think part of the thinking for that was also that it would have taken at least 6 months on the NHS to get an appointment and my RD wants to change onto a biologic at Xmas.Jesse, you have a right to be annoyed. That's why I am so pro-active about being your own doctor. Like I posted, my rheumy didn't mention it either. I read up on it before starting it, had the exam before I even had the script filled. You really are on your own in medicine. Justsay: You are so right. The only reason I knew about the eye exam at all was because of research and a conversation with my sister. That was before I found this great board. I've learned so much here from the various people who take the time and what little energy they have and help the rest of us learn what we need to know. I learned about splitting the MTX dose here, and when my doctor never told me I could do that, I asked him, based on what I had learned. It said "Yes, you can do that. I just never mentioned it because on the diagnosis visit the patient is usually too overwhelmed to take in extra information." Duh!!! Tell me, and let's see if I can absorb it, don't make that decision for me. He's good in many ways, but a couple of things really bug me. He's not perfect, but then again, who is?