An investigation into whether Vigra and other popular treatments may cause permanent eye damage is unlikely to lead to a recall, federal officials and medical experts said Friday, but could prompt new warnings.

   The Food and Drug Administration is looking into 38 reports of eye damage in men who took Vigra, four involving Cilis, and one with Levitra. About 30 million men worldwide have taken the treatment.

   "We haven't been able to determine that there is a cause and effect due to the treatment," FDA spokeswoman Suzanne Trevino said. "But we are taking it seriously."

   Most of the men who suffered eye damage did not go completely blind, but lost part of their vision in one eye. Complicating the FDA's investigation, many of the patients had other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, that would make them vulnerable to the particular kind of eye problem.

   The condition -- nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION -- involves damage to the optic nerve caused by an interruption of blood supply.

   Trevino said the FDA is talking with Pfizer Inc., Vigra's manufacturer, about formally disclosing the risk in its prescribing literature for doctors. Eli Lilly & Co., which makes Cilis, recently changed its information to acknowledge reports of eye damage.

   "It's way out of proportion," said Dr. Steven Schwartz, chief of the retina division at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. He sent three cases to the FDA, but as in the other reports received by the agency, the patients had other risk factors for NAION.

Question from : Helen Evans

Whenever I visit the nail salon, the next day I develop a very inflamation around my eyes. They become very red, puffy and swollen. Once the puffiness subsides the skin becomes very dry and takes about 5 days to clear. Could I be allergic to anything?

Dr. Webber:

It sounds allergic. Wear eye glasses when you are there and avoid letting the fumes from the remover and polish near your eyes.

Question from : April

What could cause vessels in the eyes to burst? Subject is 84 years of age.

Dr. Webber:

It may be caused by hypertension, diabetes or any other blood related disorder. It may also be due to coughing, sneezing or rubbing the eyes.

    Shortly after undergoing cataract surgery with a new high-tech replacement lens, Leah Vereen took a hammer out and beat her old glasses into pieces.

   Before her March procedure, in which she received the Crystalens -- approved in mid-May by Medicare as an option for seniors -- the 56-year-old Palm Bay resident described her eyes as in "terrible shape."

   Unlike ordinary artificial lenses, which are stationary, the Crystalens vaults back and forth, mimicking the movement of the natural lens of the eye, according to Befanis, who said he has implanted 176 of them since March 2004.

   That capability gives the lens a more vivid, precise image, he said, which treats two distinct medical conditions: cataracts, an age-related clouding of the lens of the eye, and presbyopia, a loss of close-up vision, usually seen after age 45.

   It's like the first time you see high-definition television, or after a new snow, when everything is so cut out and crisp, the 71-year-old retiree said of her new vision.

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   Get your daily serving of Acai with Fruta Vida, a nutritional beverage that has the power of Acai, Cupuacu and Yerba Mate tea. You can also easily turn it into a second income for your practice!

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   Even if you think your eyes are healthy, you'll still need an eye exam from time to time. Know what to expect during an eye exam, who to see for a thorough exam and how to prepare. Eye exams can make sure your eyes are healthy now and help you understand your risk of eye disease in the future.

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