Who Is at Risk for Vision Loss with Plaquenil?
Some people who take Plaquenil have a higher risk of retinal damage than others. They include:
- people taking Plaquenil for 5 or more years
- people taking Plaquenil at higher doses than recommended
- people who already have retinal disease
- people who already have kidney or liver disease
- people over 60 years old
- people who lose a lot of weight while taking Plaquenil. Tell your doctor if this happens as your dose may need to be lowered.
When should you see an ophthalmologist when taking Plaquenil?
If you take Plaquenil, here is when to see an ophthalmologist:
- Before Plaquenil treatment begins. You will have a “baseline” eye exam. This measures the health of your eyes and looks for retinal or macular disease.
- Once a year while taking Plaquenil.
- After five years of Plaquenil treatment, when retina damage is likely to begin, you need to see your ophthalmologist every six months. Special tests can help find early damage to the retina before serious problems develop.