Tadalafil, the pill behind Cialis, may increase glaucoma risk, new research warns.
Study Details
An international team examined health records from 73,800 men aged 40 and older with lower urinary tract symptoms, tracking tadalafil use for up to five years.
The researchers compared those prescribed tadalafil with a matched group not using phosphodiesterase‑5 inhibitors, as published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Findings
Men who took tadalafil were 22% more likely to develop glaucoma, 32% more likely to experience elevated eye pressure, and 33% more likely to get primary open‑angle glaucoma, the most common form.
Expert Commentary
Dr. Valerie Kattouf, an optometrist at the Illinois Eye Institute, said glaucoma often remains silent early on and can erode peripheral vision before symptoms appear.
She emphasized that clinicians should screen high‑risk patients — those with family history, high eye pressure, severe myopia, or long‑term daily Cialis use — for regular eye exams.
Limitations and Recommendations
The study is observational, so it shows association, not causation, and cannot account for changes in medication use or new health conditions over time.
Researchers stress that patients should not stop tadalafil; instead, long‑term users, especially those with existing risk factors, should undergo routine eye monitoring.
Fox News Digital contacted Eli Lilly and the study authors for comment; no response was provided.
Kelly McGreal, a production assistant on Fox News Digital’s lifestyle team, reported the findings.
