Ocular side-effects of drugs.

The eye may manifest side-effects from a wide variety of drugs used in the treatment of diseases of all systems of the body. Some of these side-effects, though undesirable, have to be accepted as unavoidable. The discovery of serious ocular defects arising in association with the long-term use in high dosage of such drugs as the antimalarials, the phenothiazines, and the steroid hormones has indicated the need for all prescribers to be aware of the risks involved. Particularly is this so since some of the toxic effects have seriously impaired vision and proved to be irreversible. A tabulated synopsis of ocular side-effects is presented, based on the classification of drugs by their use in the treatment of diseases of the various systems of the body as given in the I966 British National Formulary.