Probability of getting sight back.

[mkh9]

Hi doctor,
My friend was misdiagnosed with having lupus and was put
on plaquenil for about 10 years. She got plaquenil toxicity and
it damaged her retina. After that she went to a number of doctors and found she never had lupus.Her sight stabilized to where she is considered legally blind. She was able to read with glasses or possibly a magnifying glass.
Now she has cataracts and cannot see to read. She is having the
Cataracts removed and is hoping she will be able to read again. Her opthamologist said her eyes
have stabilized where there is no further damage. Can you make a
comment as to what the possibility is of her being able to read after
the cataracts are removed? Is it possible?
Thank you for your comments.
mkh9

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

After cataract surgery she will have a new artificial lens but not a new eye.  How well she reads will depend on how well the reading spot (Macula) has recovered from the plaquenil toxicity.  Without looking at her macular OCT I cannot offer useful information on post op visual acuity.

[mkh9]

Thank you doctor.  I appreciate your advice.
Regards
mkh9

[mkh9]

I guess I have one more question. Can you "recover" from plaquenil toxicity years after being off if it? Or once one stops the medication and the drug is out of your system you will stop the further progression of damage to the eye? She has been off of it for more than 10 years.
Thank you
mkh9

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Plaquenil toxicity usually stops or regresses once the medication is stopped but in some instances can progress because it is due to medication deposited in the eye.