Now Blind in One Eye!

[Sharen]

After having been on Peg-Intron for 5 months, the eyes started bleeding inside the eye.  After seeking help,  was told to stop treatment for Hep C and then return to the eye doctor in 6 weeks.
After cleaning the apartment with bleach and other cleaners the right eye was really bleeding alot. Just had surgery to hopefully save the eyeball.  Lost all vision in the right eye.

Was it the cleaners (bleach) or the Peg-intron??? or both??
Wow...

[ladybug52]

Wow... I am so sorry. I know I had an eye exam before tx but never knew anything that serious could happen. My prayers are with you, please let us know what you find out.
Good luck
Bug

[revenire____]

I'm so sorry to hear this. We had another forum member, Daria, who was going blind in both eyes from the peginterferon. She hasn't been heard from since she posted her choice: stop treatment and take the risk of liver damager etc. or go blind.

I am praying this is a temporary condition for you.

[friole]

I certainly hope this a temporary loss of eyesight.  Has the doctor said?  There is a womon at my wrok (in her 80s) who has retinal hemorraging and now has to get a shot in her eyeball once a month.

How bad is your liver damage?  Is quitting treatment permanently an option?

[chcnme]

OMG I am so sorry Sheron. One of the dangers of PegInf is serious eye problems such as retinal detachment / hemorrhage (and hopefully not in your case -- loss of vision as a result!)  It wasn't the clorox or any fumes, and the doc should have told you immediately what it was from because that is a pretty big warning with PegInf - the danger definitely exists for serious eye problems.  Some hep docs require patients to get an eye exam to make sure there are no eye diseases going into treatment. It doesn't happen often (the retinal detachment),  but if it does happen, it's a biggie because it can cause blindness  (permanent disability), and that's why the doc should warn any patient about this possibility before starting treatment, or at least let you know to report any vision changes while on treatment.  Do they expect any of your vision in that eye to return?  So so sorry this happened.  Let us know how you're doing.  

This link gives a little info on retinal problems with treatment.  

http://www.hepatitis.va.gov/vahep?page=prtop04-cs-01#SvisualchangesX

[painterlady13]

could be both..  they always do a test of the retina pre TX  because peg and riba cause eye damage.  but also bleach cleaners are so strong that in combo and without proper ventalation it could have made things much worse.  I would hold off spraying bleach at all and maybe use a solution of bleach and water in a pan and even have a fan running while you are cleaning just to disapate the odors quickly and to keep bleach particles from being airborn.