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Blindness Due to Chemo

One rare side effect of chemotherapy is blindness. Chemotherapy drugs affect non-specific areas of the body, including the nervous system. Blindness and vision problems happen as a result of damage to the nervous system.
    • Chemotherapy has many negative side effects

    Background

    • Chemotherapy treatments can damage the optic nerves, which causes vision issues and blindness. In most cases, the damage is temporary, and the vision may return.

    Drugs

    • Certain chemotherapy drugs such as vincristine may cause blindness more often than other drugs. If you believe it is the specific drug that is causing vision problems, speak with a doctor about your options.

    Who's Affected

    • Blindness is a rare side effect of chemotherapy. Those most commonly affected are people who already have preexisting vision problems or optic nerve weakness.

    Chemo

    • Chemotherapy is a treatment option for individuals with cancer. The treatment uses chemicals to kill cancer cells and prevent them from dividing rapidly.

    Warning

    • If you are worried about blindness as it relates to chemo, speak with a doctor about your choices before treatment is administered.

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