Doctors from the Massachusetts Institute of Ophthalmology in Boston warn of the danger of Viagra overdose for sight and report a case of severe damage to the retina after consuming a 10-fold dose of sildenafil.

An ophthalmologist was approached by a man around 50 years old who complained of strange visual impairment. It turned out that 2 months before that he had drunk about 10 times more than the erectile dysfunction medication prescribed for him than was indicated in the recipe. The bottle contained 750 mg of the drug (active ingredient of Viagra), and the recommended dose was 50 mg. The patient drank about 30 ml.   medication   at a time.

He reported to doctors about photophobia (increased sensitivity to light), inability to see in dim light, and also about the roundness of the forms of the visible objects around him. According to the results of the survey, ophthalmologists came to the conclusion that retinal cells are damaged, which convert light into impulses that enter the brain and create visual images.

As the doctors explained, the mechanism of action of Viagra is that it increases blood flow to the penis, inhibiting the activity of the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5. At the same time, another similar enzyme, phosphodiesterase 6 of type 6, which is produced in the cells of the retina, is inhibited (inhibited). And this, in turn, leads to the accumulation of substances that are toxic to eye cells, which causes retinal damage.

It was previously shown that even a double dose of Viagra leads to temporary visual impairment. Other side effects of sildenafil include nausea, headache, dizziness, and hot flashes.