Published medical studies have shown one of the famous Interstitial Cystitis drugs to be toxic to the retina and to increase the risk of a wide range of vision problems, including permanent blindness. Despite this fact, Janssen Pharmaceuticals continues to produce and distribute the drug in the U.S.

Individuals who have experienced retinal damage after short- or long-term use of the famous Interstitial Cystitis drug may be entitled to financial compensation, including:

• Coverage for medical care

• Pain and suffering damages

• Lost wages (past and future)

• Lost future earnings

The Interstitial Cystitis drug's active ingredient pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) can harm some patients’ maculas, which can lead to pigmentary maculopathy – a type of eye condition unique to Interstitial Cystitis drug users. Pigmentary maculopathy can lead to vision problems such as seeing dark spots, blurriness, and even blindness.

The macula is the backside of the retina. The retina is responsible for sensing light which is the necessary for our vision. It is responsible for:

• Reading
• Recognizing fine details
• Recognizing faces
• Recognizing colors

In the United States, no other condition causes blindness more than maculopathy.

How Can I Tell If My Vision Was Affected By My Interstitial Cystitis Medication?

At the onset of pigmentary maculopathy, one might encounter only mild vision problems like:

• Difficulty driving at night
• Difficult reading fine print/newsprint
• Difficulty looking through screened or blinded windows

However, if left untreated, pigmentary maculopathy can lead to more severe abnormalities such as:

• Yellowish lesions under the macula
• Developing dark spots on the retina
• Abnormal blood vessels and capillaries
• Seeing dark spots
• Difficulty seeing nearby objects
• Eye pain
• Blindness

Macular degeneration is difficult to detect because it is painless and may only effect one eye. Additionally, progression can happen rapidly or take as long as several years.

To diagnose pigmentary maculopathy, a retinal specialist (not a common optometrist or ophthalmologist) may need to administer one of many specialized tests.

How Frequently Does This Interstitial Cystitis Drug Cause Pigmentary Maculopathy?

The 6 studies below show that roughly 1 out of 4 of patients who have taken an Interstitial Cystitis Drug for six months develop this condition.

• May 2018 (Emory Eye Center study) - Six patients with chronic exposure to this Interstitial Cystitis drug developed unique pigmentary maculopathy.
• April 2019 (Emory Eye Center study) - 10 patients with a history of IC that didn’t take this famous Interstitial Cystitis drug, did not have pigmentary maculopathy.
• October 2019 (Kaiser Permanente study) - 22 of 91 of this Interstitial Cystitis drug users showed retinal toxicity. Those who took more of the drug had increased levels of toxicity.
• November 2019 (Jain study) - People who used the famous Interstitial Cystitis drug for 7 years showed significantly increased odds of macular disease compared to those who took the drug for 5 years.
• November 2019 (Huckfeldt and Vavvas study) - A patient’s pigmentary maculopathy continued to get worse six years after stopping this Interstitial Cystitis drug.
• January 2020 (Vora, Patel and Melles study) - 27 out of 117 patients who took this famous Interstitial Cystitis drug experienced pigmentary maculopathy. Those who took over 1,500 grams showed higher risk.

Has This Interstitial Cystitis Drug Been Recalled?

No. Despite the growing number of studies associating the famous Interstitial Cystitis drug use to potentially permanent vision damage, its manufacturer Janssen continues to distribute the drug.

The company instead added a maculopathy warning to this Interstitial Cystitis drug label in June 2020. It has also failed to issue any communication about the danger of taking this drug.

Take Action Today

If you have experienced vision problems after taking this Interstitial Cystitis drug on a short-term or long-term basis, you may be entitled to compensation through an Interstitial Cystitis drug lawsuit. The time to file a claim in now.

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