Many individuals have developed serious and irreversible eye problems, including vision loss and blindness, after long-term use of the prescription medication Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium). Used to treat interstitial cystitis, a chronic condition that causes severe bladder and pelvic pain, Elmiron has caused ocular damage in up to 25 percent of those who took the drug for longer than six months, according to researchers.
Even though studies demonstrating a connection between Elmiron and eye damage have been available since 2018, it was not until June 2020 that the drug’s manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, updated Elmiron’s product labeling to warn of vision problems. This was far too late for countless individuals who now live with vision loss and other eye conditions caused by the medication.