I am scared. I took 100mg gabapentin at night for the very first time on Wednesday, 4/16. When I woke up the next morning, my eyes were very irritated and my vision was blurred in my left eye. It was like looking through a glass that was emptied but previously filled with milk (if that makes). I didn’t realize at the time that this could be a side effect of the medication. I tried allergy eye drops since it’s allergy reason but there was no change. I tried sterile eye rinse- no change. My eyes were extremely sensitive to light. I had to turn my computer monitor brightness all the way down to only ten and turn my office lights off. I finally called my doctor around 2 and they wanted to see me the same day. I insisted that it was from the medicine but they brushed it off saying that it wasn’t known side effect but they sent me to an eye urgent care. The urgent care checked my eyes and did a stain to look for abrasions insisted it was just dry eye and to use artificial tears until it resolved. I asked about it being a side effect from the gabapentin but they disagreed and actually told me it wasn’t known side safe to keep taking! I refuse to it again. It is now Friday, 4/25, well I it’s 4am so I guess it’s Saturday, 4/26, and my eyes are STILL irritated. They’re extremely dry even after using the tears, the light sensitivity still remains and they’re hard to just keep open like normal. I find myself squinting like there’s something in them. I assumed these issues would go away after a few days at most. I have read online that some eye issues can be permanent. Am I really stuck like this for the rest of my life from taking just 1 of these pills? Has anyone else experienced this? Did it go away? Did you doctor give you anything to “reverse” the issue? I’m only 42 and have young kids. My anxiety over this is through the roof. I’m open to any suggestions or advice anyone might have.
Help! Eye side effects after 1 pill - Neurontin?
Question posted by mnfrost82 on 5 days ago
Last updated on 28 April 2025
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Answers
Hello,
"Many ocular side effects from Neurontin (gabapentin) are reversible. Blurred vision, for example, is a common side effect that often resolves as the body adjusts to the medication. Other reversible effects include visual field constriction and macular edema, which can improve upon discontinuing the drug. However, some side effects, like certain types of macular atrophy, can be irreversible and require early detection and intervention, according to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study."
You must control your anxiety, if not it will only make things worse and as you mentioned you have small children and they need you 100%.
I suggest you find another medication for the condition you have which btw you do not mention (on related topics you only mention "neurontin, eye conditions, gabapentin, side effect, vision, pill, eye") and I also checked if you had joined a support group of "conditions" and you did not so I can not recommend another medication).
Ask your Dr. for another med, you are the one taking this med, which if you feel more at ease stop taking it, I believe I read you did stop, that´s good, now get yourself together, this will pass, how long it will take I don´t know as everyone is different and the time frames vary from patient to patient, obviously you are sensitive to this particular med and hopefully you are not to others.
Regards, masso
Ocular
Common (1% to 10%): Amblyopia, conjunctivitis, diplopia, nystagmus
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Cataract, dry eyes, eye pain, visual field defect, photophobia, bilateral or unilateral ptosis, eye hemorrhage, hordeolum, eye twitching
Rare (less than 0.1%): Eye itching, abnormal accommodation, eye focusing problem, watery eyes, retinopathy, glaucoma, iritis, corneal disorders, lacrimal dysfunction, degenerative eye changes, blindness, retinal degeneration, miosis, chorioretinitis, strabismus
Source: https://www.drugs.com/sfx/neurontin-side-effects.html
Another aspect for your peace of mind is to schedule an app with an Ophthalmologist for a proper examination and evaluation.
Best of luck, masso
Thank you for all your comments. I did see an ophthalmologist the next day but I think seeing another one at a different place would be helpful. I didn’t mention this but I also have Ehlers Danlos syndrome (hyper-mobility type) which I know can complicate things sometimes. I have chronic low right sided back pain. I had it under control with PT and LDN for sometime but was then the victim of a hit and run accident in September and the pain is worse but also different and continues to get worse. The accident was 9/5/24. I’ve tried PT, muscle relaxers (Flexeril and Robaxin), anti-inflammatories (Celebrex), and tramadol but nothing seems to help. I got a MRI in 12/24 that says:
L2-L3: Mild facet hypertrophy.
L3-L4: Partial disc desiccation. Mild to moderate facet hypertrophy. No central or foraminal stenosis
L4-L5: Mild disc space narrowing partial disc desiccation. Small left foraminal disc protrusion. Mild to moderate facet hypertrophy. Mild bilateral foraminal narrowing
L5-S1: Mild to moderate facet hypertrophy. No central or foraminal stenosis.
Other: Susceptibility artifact from Harrington rod fixation.
IMPRESSION:
Prior thoracolumbar fixation for scoliosis with levoconvex lumbar scoliosis.
Lumbar disc degeneration L4-5 with small left foraminal protrusion and mild to moderate facet
hypertrophy with mild bilateral foraminal narrowing.
Moderate edema type discogenic endplate changes on the right at L4-5.
Are you feeling any better?
The blurred vision is still there in my left eye but have improved. The dry eye, irritation, gritty feeling still remains. I’ve been using Thera tears for extra dry eyes. They are sterile, single-use vials. For them to feel comfortable, I need 1-2 drops about every 30 minutes
Hang in there, everything will get better, be patient, a good idea would be to see an Ophthalmologist as soon as you are able to.
Get well soon,masso
Thanks. I’m calling Midwest Eye Center tomorrow for an appointment.
That´s good, I hope everything is fine and you have a prompt recovery.
Let me know please.
All the best, masso
Related topics
neurontin, eye conditions, gabapentin, side effect, vision, pill, eye
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