Eyesight issues? Is it the MTX? | Arthritis Information

Hey ya'll!

I've been taking MTX since late April and here recently I've noticed the onset of a new symptom. My eyesight seems to be getting worse. Things that were easy for me to see before are now blurry. Is this a symptom of RA or could it be caused by the MTX? I asked my rheumy about it at my last visit and her was response was a question: when was the last time you had your eyes checked? Well, I've never had any eye issues so my last visit was '97. The only reason for that visit was to get my eyes measured for colored contacts. (I thought it would be cool to go from brown to green. Haha!) Anyways, I was wondering if any of you had been experiencing the same thing. Hope everyone is having a great day!

Melanie

Blurred vision Methotrexate may affect your eyesight. Tell your doctor about any eye pain or vision changes.

Definately listed as one of the side effects. Are you on any other medications? Plaquenil can effect the eyes as well. MTX may or may not be causing your eye issues. I'd discuss it with your doctor just to be on the safe side.

Peace & Love...Neasy

I did tell her and she dismissed it! I'll be calling tomorrow to let her know again that I'm concerned.

I was on Plaquenil for a little bit, but my hair started falling out. Now I'm just on MTX. It's still falling out now, but not near as bad. I'm so scared of going bald. At this point my hair is half as thick as it used to be.

go have your eyes checked before blaming the MTX. It is far more likely that you are having the normal vision problems that affect most of the population as we get older than it is to be from the methotrexate.

ANyway the odds are that your rheumatologist will not worry about eye issues until you rule out other causes of them

I wouldn't bother calling your RD again. Call your eye doctor and set up an appointment. That was likely her comment because she doesn't know how to help that. See an eye doctor and avoid another trip to the RD for nothing. Better safe than sorry. It's likely not the MTX....but make sure.And be sure to see an ophthalmologist, not an optometrist. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor and with our RA it is a better choice.

Jeanne
Another Jeanne here! Good advice to get your eyes checked. Perhaps that what your Rheumy meant when she asked you when you last had your eyes checked??

Just on the hair loss question, have you also been prescribed Folic Acid? It is usual for that to be prescribed when taking Methotrexate. It will certainly help prevent hair loss, also mouth ulcers etc.

Thanks for the suggestion of the opthalmologist instead of the optometrist. (I was going to visit my friendly Walmart! haha)

On the hair loss, I was prescribed folic acid and vitamin D as well, but I keep forgetting to take them. I'm supposed to take the folic acid first thing in the morning after breakfast. I just keep lapsing because of taking care of the kiddos. I need to get back on track!! I definitely do not want to lose any more hair than I already have.

Thank you, everyone, for your input!

I am taking folic acid with my MTX but hair is still coming out. I was on double the dose but my RD reduced it to slow the hair loss down which it has to about half...ha ha. I have a LOT of hair so it isn't really making any difference to me but I would imagine if you didn't have as much hair as I do, you would be worried. Every time I brush it, hair comes out and also gets on my hair bands.

I take my folic acid with my MTX and it has become a habit so I never forget it...one tablet goes with the other.

A lot of people with RA also get Sjorgren's syndrome which is a drying of the mucus membranes and the eys. I found out I had it when I realized I couldnt read the closed captioning on my tv. every thing is blurry.

the dr will put a stain on your eye..(dont worry its just aother eyedrop) and he can tell immediately if your cornesa are dry which causes horrible blurrieness.

I have fairly severe sjorgrens now and take eyedrops (which I hate but thats another post) and am on a special oral flouride gel to combat demineralization that is occuring at a very rapid rate due to dry mouth.

go to the opthalmologist.

Melanie, I have noticed a difference, but it is not the mtx. Because of the disease I have developed SEVERE dry eye. The opthamologist has plugged both upper and lower tear ducts to make sure I am using my own tears, my vision improved, but also have some early glaucoma. All of mine is centered around what PsA does to the eyes, and the fact is I was not diagnosed early enough to not have the damage done to my eyes.

You need to get into a great opthamologist and have him do a thorough eye exam. This may take three or four visits. I am still catching up to the damage and having diagnostic appt. in August will be my sixth because things were so bad, and we have had to do things in stages.

DON'T WAIT!