Avelox® is an antibiotic with the active ingredient moxifloxacin. Our lawyers are investigating cases of permanent eye/vision damage that may be associated with the use of oral Avelox. You can contact our attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or by submitting our FREE consultation form.
What are the Eye Problems Associated with Avelox?
Recent medical research* has found a possible connection between the use of moxifloxacin and eye problems, including pain, swelling, light sensitivity and glaucoma. For some patients, there is permanent eye damage.
Ophthalmologists (eye doctors) have reported cases** of uveitis developing in patients a few weeks after they took moxifloxacin (sold under the Avelox brand). Uveitis is the inflammation (swelling) of the uvea (middle later of the eye where the iris is located). In some of these reported cases of moxifloxacin-associated uveitis the pigment (cells that give color to the eye) in the iris was dispersed, meaning it relocated. This caused irreversible bilateral (both eyes) acute (sudden onset) iris transillumination, or “transilluminating iris depigmentation.” When this happens, the patient has extreme light sensitivity (photophobia), so much so that it causes a loss of quality of life.
The eye pigment relocation in some cases of uveitis-related iris transillumination puts pressure on the eye. If this pressure is severe enough, it can cause glaucoma. About 10% of the patients with uveitis develop uveitic glaucoma***.
Can You Sue for Avelox-Associated Eye Problems?
Whether you can sue for Avelox-associated eye problems depends on the facts of your case. You will need to talk with an attorney about your case to determine whether you have a claim for compensation from Bayer and Merck. The following are some questions they may ask you:
- Is your case of uveitis acute (sudden onset)?
- Is your case of uveitis bilateral (both eyes)?
- Did you take oral Avelox (an antibiotic) prior to having symptoms of uveitis, which include blurry vision, dark spots in vision, eye pain and light sensitivity?
- How long after taking your first Avelox pill did you develop uveitis symptoms?
Pritzker Hageman attorneys have won millions for clients injured by defective medical products. You can talk with them about your Avelox uveitis case for FREE by calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submitting our free consultation form.
**1. Hinkle D, Dacey M, Mandelcorn E, Kalyani P, et al. Bilateral uveitis associated with fluoroquinolone therapy. Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology 2012. 31: 111-116.
**2. Wefers Bettink-Remeijer M, Brouwers K, Van Langenhove L, De Waard P, Missotten T, Martinez Ciriano J and Van Aken E. Uveitis-like syndrome and iris transillumination after the use of oral moxifloxacin. Eye 2009. 23: 2260–2262. The eye image is from this article.
3. Willermain F, Deflorenne C, Bouffioux C, Janssens X, Koch P and Caspers L. Uveitis-like syndrome and iris transillumination after the use of oral moxifloxacin. Eye 2010. 24: 1419.
***4. Merayo-Lloves J, Power WJ, Rodriguez A, Pedroza-Seres M, Foster CS. Secondary glaucoma in patients with uveitis. Ophthamologica 1999. 213(5):300-4.
