Can the long term using of pregabalin in fibromyalgia affect the choroid and retinal nerve fiber layer? 2021, Biçer et al

Abstract
Background
In this study, the effects of long-term pregabalin use on the choroid and retinal nerve fiber layer were investigated in the fibromyalgia disease.

Methods
The patient group consisted of 41 fibromyalgia patients using pregabalin. The control group consisted of 41 newly diagnosed fibromyalgia patients who had not received any treatment yet. Choroidal and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were performed with Cirrus HD-OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Dublin, CA, USA) 30 minutes after pupil dilation with 1% tropicamide.

Results
There was no difference in subfoveal choroidal thickness, nasal choroidal thickness and temporal choroidal thickness between the patient and control groups (p > 0.05). Increasing the duration of drug use within the patient group was found to thin the retinal nerve fiber layer (p < 0.05).

Conclusion
We found that pregabalin had no effect on the choroid, while it had a thinning effect for retinal nerve fiber layer. It is recommended not to be preferred pregabalin in fibromyalgia patients with retinal nerve fiber layer damage such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Patients treated with pregabalin should have regular control in the ophthalmology clinic.

Paywall
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41433-021-01864-9

 

i had double vision for a few weeks after my last dose. i'm guessing that is unrelated to this.

 

I have a smaller optic nerve on one side. And history of having increased ocular pressure during menopause years, which reverted to normal pressures.
Guess I won't be doing a trial of pregabalin anytime soon. I tried gabapentine, did nothing but make me dizzy and I'm already blonde (or was...now grayish).