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vision changes on tamoxifen

Ltalcott
Ltalcott CSN Member Posts: 119
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Has anybody had vision changes on tamoxifen? I'm having some, I think. I also think I'm overreacting to everything that I notice. I started tamoxifen 5/1, so almost three months.

The changes are sort of like if you push in on your eyes, that's how I see sometimes. Doesn't seem to be all the time, or maybe I don't notice it all the time.

Anyway, I wanted to see what experience is out there. (Yes, I will call my doctor--later?)

thanks,
Lisa
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Comments

  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 CSN Member Posts: 2,729
    #2
    I'm having vision changes
    I'm having vision changes now but have been off the Tamoxifen for a few years. I'm thinking it must be aging. I've been off all medication for a couple years so can't be that.
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  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising CSN Member Posts: 1,508
    #3
    Hi Lisa, yes I have eye
    Hi Lisa, yes I have eye problems with all the hormone blockers. It started ~6mos after starting Tamoxifen. They were burning and very tired. Concentrating and focusing were very difficult. My vision is worse as well. When they are like that I don't post as much (like now). I went to 2 optometrists and 1 ophthalmologist and none of them were familiar with this se but if you research it you will find bits of info here and there. It isn't a common se but all the same some of us have it. There is also more info on breastcancer.org concerning this as some of the women have experienced it. For me, they thought it was dryness and the ophth thought it might be sjogren's syndrome. But drops give little relief. Some women have plugs put in. I asked about that but didn't get an answer. Hope this helps.
    jan
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  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 CSN Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #4
    phoenixrising said:

    Hi Lisa, yes I have eye
    Hi Lisa, yes I have eye problems with all the hormone blockers. It started ~6mos after starting Tamoxifen. They were burning and very tired. Concentrating and focusing were very difficult. My vision is worse as well. When they are like that I don't post as much (like now). I went to 2 optometrists and 1 ophthalmologist and none of them were familiar with this se but if you research it you will find bits of info here and there. It isn't a common se but all the same some of us have it. There is also more info on breastcancer.org concerning this as some of the women have experienced it. For me, they thought it was dryness and the ophth thought it might be sjogren's syndrome. But drops give little relief. Some women have plugs put in. I asked about that but didn't get an answer. Hope this helps.
    jan

    Glaucoma and other vision
    Cataracts and other vision problems are side effects of Tamoxifen! You can read more by just googling Tamoxifen and side effects. I found it on cancer.gov.
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  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 CSN Member Posts: 2,072
    #5
    survivorbc09 said:

    Glaucoma and other vision
    Cataracts and other vision problems are side effects of Tamoxifen! You can read more by just googling Tamoxifen and side effects. I found it on cancer.gov.

    Oh JOY!
    I knew it! I just knew Tamoxifen had more side effects than they told me. I have to wear glassed now to grocery shop, I can't read the labels....

    My eyesight started to deteriorate during chemo, I thought it would right itself when that ended.

    Not so! Bugger!!!!!!!!!

    If I didn't have my cheap dollar store glasses on, I would not have been able to read this post...LOL

    Hugs jxxxxxxxxxxx
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  • Derbygirl
    Derbygirl CSN Member Posts: 198
    #6
    Lisa, I had vision changes
    Lisa, I had vision changes during chemo as well as dry eyes. I now take Arimidex. I was referred to ophthalmology 6 months after chemo and was diagnosed with chemo induced micro cataracts. Nothing to worry about now, but we'll watch it in the future. My vision has not improved and I'm 9 months post chemo.
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  • Ltalcott
    Ltalcott CSN Member Posts: 119
    #7
    Derbygirl said:

    Lisa, I had vision changes
    Lisa, I had vision changes during chemo as well as dry eyes. I now take Arimidex. I was referred to ophthalmology 6 months after chemo and was diagnosed with chemo induced micro cataracts. Nothing to worry about now, but we'll watch it in the future. My vision has not improved and I'm 9 months post chemo.

    Thanks
    Thanks for the comments--I'm going to wait until things even out. Maybe I'm imagining things. I did have a regular appointment with my optomologist about 4 weeks after surgery, before I started the tamoxifen, so we have a good baseline if needed.

    Lisa
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