Taking Stock: Asking About Side Effects

Vision Changes

Certain vision changes, such as blurry or double vision, may be side effects of medication. Sudden, temporary changes in the way things look may be related to seizures.

Seizures that take place in the vision areas of the brain can alter the way things look to you while the seizure is taking place. If you are experiencing visual changes that are troubling and frequent, let your doctor know about it. If s/he thinks they are related to the seizure medications, he may suggest changing the way or time you are taking them. If the problems are seizure-related, better seizure control may help.

Questions for you physician might include:

• Is my vision being affected by my medication?
• Am I taking an inappropriate amount of medication? Or could I be taking it incorrectly?
• Could my medication's generic version eliminate this side effect?
• Should I consult my optometrist? Should he or she be made aware of the situation, and would he or she be of any help?
• What are the chances that my vision will be affected permanently?

Read about other possible side effects...