Elmiron Side Effects

Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium Use & Retinal Damage

Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium) is a medication prescribed to treat inflammation of the bladder known as interstitial cystitis (IC), or bladder pain syndrome (BPS), also called painful bladder syndrome. Because interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition for which no cure is available, it is not uncommon for patients to take Elmiron for many years. 

Prolonged Elmiron use has been known to cause eye problems like retinal inflammation and bleeding since the 1990s. But two recent studies link Elmiron with an entirely new disease—retinal pigmentary maculopathy. 

Emory University 

Between 2015 and 2018, the Eye Center at Emory University performed retinal imaging studies on patients who had used Elmiron for extended periods of time and discovered retinal changes and retinal injuries impacting their vision, including difficulty reading and trouble adjusting to dim lighting. The scientists noted that on retinal scans, pigmentary maculopathy looked similar to macular degeneration, and that it was unclear whether stopping the drug would reverse these visual symptoms. 

The results of the study were published in the May 2018 issue of the Journal of Ophthalmology. 

Kaiser Permanente 

A separate study conducted at Kaiser Permanente found that Elmiron use may damage the retina. A quarter of patients who had taken Elmiron for about 15 years showed definitive signs of eye damage, including changes in the part of the retina associated with clear vision. Similar to Emory Eye Center, Kaiser Permanente observed similarities between retinal pigmentary maculopathy and macular degeneration or pattern dystrophy. At least one documented case  showed a patient developing Elmiron eye disease years after she stopped taking the drug. 

The results of the study were presented to and published in the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Additional studies published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology reinforce these findings.