“The average patient should be relieved these drugs don’t cause significant visual dysfunction. And he can be comfortable taking them in the long-term,” said Raj Maturi, an author of the Lilly-funded research and an ophthalmologist at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.

 

Maturi and colleagues studied 244 men, ages 30 to 65, using a test that measured the electrical impulses from their eyes, as well as comprehensive ophthalmologic exams. A third of the patients took Viagra, a third took Cialis and a third took a placebo.

 

The researchers found no clinically important side effects or differences among the three groups at 3 months, 6 months or at a post treatment follow-up 4 to 6 weeks later.

 

Also, treatment with Viagra and Cialis had no effect on visual acuity, color discrimination, intraocular pressure or any other functions.

 

“Our results indicate that there is no cumulative damage or effect of clinical significance for either 5 milligrams of tadalafil (Cialis) or 50 milligrams of sildenafil (Viagra) taken daily for six months,” the study concluded.