Hydroxychloroquine may have been prominently featured in the news lately, but as a coronavirus treatment it may be bad for your eyes. Although President Trump said that he is taking the drug as a preventative to ward off the virus, hydroxychloroquine and its sibling chloroquine have the potential to damage the Retina. Although the American Academy of Ophthalmology says that hydroxychloroquine doesn’t cause blindness, 1% to 2% of patients who take the drug to treat autoimmune conditions such as lupus experience Retinal problems during a 5-year course of treatment. Please consult with your Retinologist at High Country Macula before considering taking hydroxychloroquine.
