Lisinopril Lisnopril, Retina Specialist, Floaters, Vision Problems, Torn Retina

Posted over a year ago

I am so glad I found this website. I have had a lot of questions answered about my husband's health issues. My husband is a relatively healthy 32 year old and has been on 5mg Lisnopril for almost 5 years for slightly high BP and has had a lot of problems since he has started taking it. The most severe problem he has experienced lately is vision loss in his eye. He started complaining in late November of Floaters and Grainy Vision in his left eye. This will last about a week and then subside only to return a few days later. The vision problems will come on suddenly and get so bad that he can't see or read out of his left eye. He sees lines, floaters, cobwebs, colors, and grainy spots. My husband went to his family doctor when it first started and was told not to worry about it. ... more »

I am so glad I found this website. I have had a lot of questions answered about my husband's health issues. My husband is a relatively healthy 32 year old and has been on 5mg Lisnopril for almost 5 years for slightly high BP and has had a lot of problems since he has started taking it. The most severe problem he has experienced lately is vision loss in his eye. He started complaining in late November of Floaters and Grainy Vision in his left eye. This will last about a week and then subside only to return a few days later. The vision problems will come on suddenly and get so bad that he can't see or read out of his left eye. He sees lines, floaters, cobwebs, colors, and grainy spots. My husband went to his family doctor when it first started and was told not to worry about it.

Last week I took him to the eye doctor, who could not even see in his eye because there was so many floaters. The opthamologist immediately sent us to a retina specialist who thought he had a detached or torn retina. Well, we have been to the specialist twice and he can't find anything that would be causing this problem. We've had 3 doctors and a pharmacist tell us that Lisinopril would not cause this vision problem. Since I have found this site and read posts from others who have had the same vision problems, I am convinced that this is causing his problems.

Some other side effects he has had is memory loss, confusion, aches and pains, weight gain, headaches, fatigue and dizziness. Thank goodness he has not had the awful coughing that countless others have experienced.

Needless to say he is not taking this medicine anymore. If anyone else has had similar vision problems please contact me.

12 Replies

Kelamsb - I am 32 year old male and I having hypertension for last 3 years. Doctor prescribed me initially 10 mg of lisnopril and then increased it to 20 mg. For last 1-2 years I am having vision problems like blurring, many floaters, webs etc. And the floaters keep on increasing and I visited opthamologist 4-5 times in the last 2 years. Opthamologist told me that its part of aging and never believed him because my eye site used to be so perfect and all of a sudden all these floaters, dots started appreaing in my eyes. I am having a lot of problem with my vision. I asked my doctor is there a side effect because of lisnopril and he told no it was used by lot of people. Now thank god I saw your post and my suspicion about the lisnopril is vidicated. I will talk to my doctor to change my medication. If I get an oppurtunity I would sue the company who makes these medication as there is no label that it has side effects on the vision. Thanks a Lot,

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Sybilcassin - I too am on Lisinopril-40 mg. I was previously taking 20 mg daily and my doctor decided I needed to increase to 40 mg about 2 1/2 - 3 years ago. I have had a continuous irritating cough, weight gain, forgetfulness, extreme tiredness and not restful sleep (not my usual behavior). Most improtant, I have experienced considerable vision loss in my left eye. About a year and a half ago the eye doctor prescribed glasses and said all I have is an astigmatism and the glass would correct this problem. The vision loss has gotten worse and today a new eye doctor examined my eyes and said there is unexplained vision loss in the left eye. He will do one more test tomorrow and then send me to a neurologist for further testing. Thanks to the postings on this web site, I will also talk with him about the Lisinopril and the possibility of this being caused by this medication. Thank you for speaking out. Sybil

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Aow - Hi, I am 65 years old and taking the Lisnopril for about 11 month. Three days ago I got the same problem like having floaters in my left eye.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Aow - Hi, I am 65 years old and taking the Lisnopril for about 11 month. Three days ago I got the same problem like having floaters in my left eye.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Stairs - I am 49 have been taking 10mg Lisinopril for abt 6 months my vision has become blurry and I started seeing sparkling, which in my right eye has become a very large blind spot or dark cloudy area. I am stopping that medication this minute and I just hope that the vision issue improves. Very scary that a medication could be causing this and it's not even on the adverse reactions or warnings list!

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Plubbd - I am 23 years old and I take 20 mg Lisinopril . Yes, we had 4 doctors and a pharmacist tell us that Lisinopril would not cause this vision problem but right now i really need blood pressure meds which means I don't have a choice. I can't read anything a foot away which is bad since i could read from 20 feet a month ago. what should i do? the Lisinopril for high blood pressure and it not doing the job.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Aow - Hi, Don't listen to those doctors. Most of them don't know nothing. The only thing these doctors good at it, is writing prescription, because are being paid by the drugs company. If this medication is not helping you, just stop taking it.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Mikes000 - Started on this at 40mg/day. On it two days now and my right eye has so many things floating in it it looks like I am looking through a bottle of ginger ale. Will see if it clears up, but if not will ask to change to something else.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Mikes000 - Started on this at 40mg/day. On it two days now and my right eye has so many things floating in it it looks like I am looking through a bottle of ginger ale. Will see if it clears up, but if not will ask to change to something else.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Johnnomads - I took this ACE inhibitor at 10 mg for the last 9 yrs, and it did a very good job of keeping my BP within normal levels. Then the homeless Dr's jacked up my doseage to 20 mg, and i've had cloudy vision on and off for the last week or so. I'm going to cut my pills in half, and see if that helps.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Johnnomads - Bty, the same symptoms can happen if your taking Glucophage (metformin) and or Glucotrol (glipizide). Also if your blood sugar is too high or too low, these vision problems can occur. If you are diabetic and want to cut back on you meds and the Dr's won't help, you'll have to check your blood sugars carefully, so you don't go too high or low.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Chadd - Lisinopril causes many bad side effects on its own, but it also causes many other problems indirectly because it depletes the body of the essential mineral zinc. Most all patients are unaware that lisinopril robs the body of zinc, and a zinc deficiency can cause a host of other problems. Zinc is essential for many functions in the body, including healthy eyes and vision. Some other symptoms of zinc deficiency include hair loss, skin disorders, sleep problems, mood disturbance, joint pain, and even tinnitus. To correct this deficiency and help alleviate the symptoms, you can take supplemental zinc, and two of the best absorbed forms are zinc gluconate and zinc picolinate. Other blood pressure drugs also deplete the body of magnesium, and a magnesium deficiency can cause even more problems. For more information on other drugs and the essential nutrients they deplete, just do a google search for drug-induced nutrient depletion. Lisinopril and other blood pressure medications are dangerous and totally unnecessary. Several studies have proven that supplemental vitamin C will reduce high blood pressure safely and naturally with no side effects. Vitamin C was effective even at a relatively small dose of only 500 mg per day, much less than the 2 or 3 grams per day recommended by Dr. Linus Pauling for preventing cardiovascular disease. Of course, organized medicine and Big Pharma aren't interested in vitamin C at all because it is cheap, unpatentable, and a huge financial threat to their high-profit pharmaceutical drugs. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient vitally important for cardiovascular health. I would urge you to read two very informative articles at the website cqs.com. Just do a google search for cqs.com to get to the website, then click on the article Natural Cardiovascular Disease Therapy to read it, then click on Natural Statin Injury Therapy to read it.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

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