Does Sertraline cause blurry vision?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
In this article, we will discuss Sertraline-induced blurry vision. We will also talk about some other reported ocular side effects associated with Sertraline – a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). We will also discuss what you should do if such side effects occur.
Does Sertraline cause blurry vision?
Sertraline may cause blurry vision as a side effect in some individuals. Although it is not considered common, it is still listed as a potential side effect of Sertraline and other SSRIs (1,2).
Blurry vision or ocular side effects, in general, were known to be associated with Sertraline in the 20th century (3) – but with the increasing use of Sertraline in the 21st century, such side effects started to show up.
Generally, blurry vision is still rare with Sertraline, but one should be aware of that. If you’re taking Sertraline and noticing an unusual cloudiness in your vision, you need to discuss this with your doctor right away.
What does research suggest?
There is limited research on Sertraline-induced blurry vision. However, ocular side effects have been reported with Sertraline and other antidepressants, like Escitalopram, Bupropion, etc.
In a study involving three patients, there was a potential link found between the use of Sertraline and a specific eye condition affecting the macula (4).
The patients, all white females, experienced visual disturbances, and examinations revealed disruptions in the outer retinal layer and retinal pigment epithelium (4).
Another research review found 124 reports of visual issues associated with antidepressants that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin, including Sertraline (5).
Common symptoms included blurred vision (63.7%), night blindness (17.7%), and other problems like vitreous floaters and photophobia. Many patients (74) reported that these side effects affected their daily lives, 62 sought medical care, and 50 said it impacted their work (5).
The study concluded that antidepressants that affect serotonin reuptake can have adverse effects on vision and more research is needed to understand this and its prevalence among users.
Furthermore, Sertraline and other SSRIs may cause some serious ocular complications.
A UK journal recently reported five cases of optic neuropathy possibly linked to long-term use of SSRIs in an island population of 140,000. All five cases experienced visual loss believed to be from ischaemic optic neuropathy (6).
Two cases had progressive bilateral visual field loss, two had severe sudden unilateral vision loss, and one had bilateral sudden vision loss. The patients were relatively young, with an average age of 49 and an average of 7 years on SSRIs (6).
Discontinuing the SSRIs didn’t lead to further deterioration in all cases which clearly indicated that the side effects were SSRI-induced.
What to do if Sertraline affects your vision?
If you notice that Sertraline is affecting your vision, it’s important to discuss this with your healthcare provider. In some cases, doctors might consider reducing the dose if your vision becomes slightly blurry suddenly.
However, if blurry vision continues with long-term use of Sertraline, it might be necessary to discontinue the treatment – as this can lead to disturbing ocular complications in some people.
Just make sure you never stop taking Sertraline abruptly; always consult your doctor for guidance on how to safely adjust your medication. Your eye health is important, so any vision changes should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
If Sertraline is harming your vision and is not the right choice of antidepressant for you anymore, your doctor will help taper it off safely and switch you to another antidepressant to help manage your depression symptoms. Never discontinue antidepressants abruptly.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed Sertraline-induced blurry vision. We have also talked about some other reported ocular side effects associated with Sertraline and what you should do if such side effects occur.
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA). HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. ZOLOFT (sertraline hydrochloride) tablets, for oral use. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2016/019839s74s86s87_20990s35s44s45lbl.pdf
2.-
National Library of Medicine. Sertraline: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697048.html
3.-
Auster R. Sertraline: a new antidepressant. Am Fam Physician. 1993 Aug;48(2):311-4. PMID: 8342482. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8342482/
4.-
Javidi H, Ah-Moye S, Hennings C, Mehta H, Mahmood S. Presumed Sertraline-Associated Maculopathy: A Case Series. Ophthalmol Ther. 2021 Jun;10(2):359-365. doi: 10.1007/s40123-021-00340-7. Epub 2021 Mar 20. PMID: 33743165; PMCID: PMC8079477. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8079477/
5.-
Healy D, Mangin D, Lochhead J. Development and persistence of patient-reported visual problems associated with serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressants. Int J Risk Saf Med. 2022;33(1):37-47. doi: 10.3233/JRS-210018. PMID: 34366298. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34366298/
6.-
Lochhead J. Keep an eye on the SSRI: help avoid possible sight-threatening adverse events. Br J Gen Pract. 2016 Feb;66(643):91. doi: 10.3399/bjgp16X683641. PMID: 26823253; PMCID: PMC4723200. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4723200/
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