Cataracts

[Absentminded]

Hi everyone,

I don't know if anyone has posted about this before, I did a quick search but couldn't see anything.

I went to the optitions the other day to get my eyes tested for new glasses, and as usual I showed the nice man my special blue steroid card and my remicade alert card. He was a bit bemused but nevermind.
Anyway, the optition told me that steroid use can cause cataracts, which I'd never heard of before. He said my eyes were fine, but that if you use steroids for a long time they can develop.
Not trying to scare anyone, I was just surprised, and wondered if anyone else had heard this.

Lucinda x

 

[Jennifer]

I'm aware of steroids causing pressure which can damage your eyes over time. It's been a while since I've had to see the eye doctor though and don't remember them mentioning cataracts but I'm not surprised.

 

[Silvermoon]

Yes I have heard of it, and in fact, have developed what they are calling "snowflake" cataracts due to steroid use.

With a "normal" cataract, the deposit starts to build in the middle of the lens and work it's way out.... with these "snowflake" cataracts, there is tiny deposits scattered all over the lens....

The GOOD news is, mine haven't changed since I stopped using steroids almost 10 years ago... they haven't gone away, but they haven't gotten any worse either....

 

[outlier]

I know eye steroid like Pred Forte can cause steroids. Like most things the more times you are on it the higher likely hood you are to get cataracts or glaucoma. Out of everything since being diagnosed with CD this news was the most shocking, some how. I wish my eye doc told me this years ago.