# What caused my vision to worsen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 29, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037 "2012-01-29T00:30:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/1 "2012-01-29T00:30:16Z")
So about a month ago I got tired of taking a lot of meds and just stopped. Today I noticed my distance vision was worse. Which is more likely the culprit: diabetes meds (glucophage), blood pressure (propranolol) or cholesterol meds? Not for medical advice, just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/2 "2012-01-29T00:44:58Z")
You stopped taking your diabetes meds? Untreated diabetes makes your vision worse, among many other complications affecting just about every body system you have. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/3 "2012-01-29T03:03:45Z")
It’s not the meds making your vision worse, it’s the lack of them. Glucophage keeps your blood sugar in check. If it’s spiraled out of control, and you have diabetes, you may have started to get diabetic retinopathy. Propranolol, a beta blocker, keeps your blood pressure normalized. Without it, your blood pressure will be too high, and that too can cause vision changes and blindness. Probably the least likely culprit is the lack of your cholesterol medications, because it takes a while for cholesterol to adhere to the walls of your arteries and choke off blood flow. Seriously, have you also decided that you’re tired of this whole breathing thing and you don’t need oxygen? You’re not on those medications for shits and giggles. You’re on those medications specifically so you don’t get the very symptom you’re complaining about and a whole host of other ones. TAKE YOUR DAMN PILLS. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/4 "2012-01-29T03:21:42Z")
Dude! Is this your sucide letter? You are killing yourself and we can’t call the suicide prevention line for you. Take your pills, they are keeping you alive! ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/5 "2012-01-29T03:21:46Z")
Listen to **phouka**. She’s giving good advice, and more politely than I would be able to. If you have problems with side-effects with your medications, talk to your doctor, there may be others that wouldn’t have the same side-effects. If you can’t afford your meds, talk to your doctor, or pharmacist - there may be generics that can be substituted. ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/6 "2012-01-29T03:35:22Z")
One of the side effects of my out-of-control blood glucose that lead to my diagnosis was deteriorating vision. Once I got my blood glucose under control through medication, diet and exercise, my vision quickly improved. What is your blood glucose doing since you’ve stopped taking diabetes meds? You must realize how ridiculous and alarming your post sounds. If you’re serious, I suggest you get your affairs in order now. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/7 "2012-01-29T03:44:13Z")
My friend’s first sign that his blood pressure was out of control was worsening vision. But by that time, his kidneys were irreparably damaged. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/8 "2012-01-29T07:12:44Z")
Yep, stopping taking a total of 10 different medications :eek: will mean you’ll start losing organs. If you don’t start taking them again, plus see a doctor and find out how much damage you’ve done, you may be in a lot of pain and suffering pretty soon. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-my-vision-to-worsen/611037/9 "2012-01-29T10:21:46Z")
Thanks for the answers. This morning, not sure why I asked the question - not really a good question for a message board. I’ll ask the mods to close it.