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Antibiotics Retinal Detachment

A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has linked fluoroquinolone antibiotics, which are commonly used to treat bacterial infections, to an increased risk of retinal detachment.

Retinal detachment is when the retina—the light sensitive tissue in the eye—separates from the other tissues in the eye. This condition typically requires surgery, and if left untreated can lead to blindness.

Symptoms that could indicate retinal detachment include:

  • Blurred vision
  • Bright flashes of light
  • Lines, dots, or floaters in the eye
  • Shadows or blindness in the eye

Known Antibiotics That Contain Fluoroquinolone

As one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics, there are a number of drugs that contain fluoroquinolone, including:

  • Avelox® (moxifloxacin),
  • Cipro® (ciprofloxacin),
  • Factive® (gemifloxacin),
  • Floxin® (ofloxacin otic),
  • Gatifloxacin,
  • Levaquin® (levofloxacin),
  • Maxaquin (lomefloxacin),
  • Noroxin® (norfloxacin),
  • Penetrex™ (enoxacin),
  • Sparfloxacin,
  • and more.

Although fluoroquinolones have been previously linked to tendon rupture and are known to be toxic to connective tissue and cartilage, the warning labels on these drugs do not caution consumers to the risk of retinal detachment.

You May Be Entitled to Compensation

It is estimated that nearly 1,440 diagnosed cases of retinal detachment each year in the United States could be linked to the use of fluoroquinolone, according to the study in JAMA.

If you or someone you know took an antibiotic containing fluoroquinolone and suffered retinal detachment that required surgical repair, contact Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris. Call (800) 852-6299 or fill out a free initial consultation form today. You could be entitled to compensation for your injury, and we may be able to help.

Avelox® and Cipro® are registered trademarks of Bayer Schering Pharma AG. Factive® is a registered trademark of LG Life Sciences. Floxin® is a registered trademark of Daiichi Sankyo. Levaquin® is a registered trademark of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Noroxin® is a registered trademark of Merck Co. Penetrex™ is a trademark of Biomax Health Products, Inc.

This law firm is not associated with, sponsored by, or affiliated with The Journal of the American Medical Association or any of the trademarks or companies used on this page.

Free Consultation

If you’ve taken antibiotics and suffered a retinal detachment, the Birmingham drug injury attorneys at Cory Watson Crowder & DeGaris are ready to fight for you. Pick up the phone and call us at (800) 852-6299 or fill out our free initial consultation form.

As a leading national injury law firm, we serve clients throughout the country as well as locally, including Birmingham and Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties. It takes just minutes to fill out the brief form and the initial conversation is free.