Elmiron Vision Loss Lawsuits

Have you or someone you love suffered vision loss or eye damage after taking Elmiron®? Pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), the active ingredient in the bladder pain medication Elmiron, may increase risks of eye disease.

Studies have linked the use of Elmiron to a unique type of retinal eye damage known as pigmentary maculopathy – which can cause permanent vision loss and create significant limitations in a person’s daily life. Many patients who’ve experienced Elmiron-related pigmentary maculopathy may have been misdiagnosed with age related macular denegation (AMD) or pattern dystrophy.

Bailey Cowan Heckaman PLLC is currently reviewing potential claims from patients nationwide who suffered vision impairment, pigmentary maculopathy, and other forms of eye damage after using Elmiron. Given the latest research, you may have the right to file an Elmiron lawsuit and recover financial compensation for your damages.

Why Choose BCH?

• Hundreds of Millions in Compensation Recovered
• Over 150 Years’ Combined Experience
• Thousands of Clients Represented Nationwide
• Contingency Fees – No Fee Unless We Win

Bailey Cowan Heckaman PLLC is a Houston-based trial practice comprised of award-winning attorneys. Our team has cultivated a record of success in complex claims nationwide, including litigation involving product liability and dangerous pharmaceuticals against some of the world’s largest corporations.

If you or someone you love suffered vision loss after using Elmiron, BCH is available to review your case during a FREE consultation. Call (713) 425-7100 to speak with an attorney.

Elmiron & Vision Loss

Elmiron is a prescription medication approved by the FDA to treat regional bladder and pelvic pain associated with interstitial cystitis (IC) – including bladder pain syndrome (BPS), chronic pelvic pain (CPP), and painful bladder syndrome (PBS).

Though hundreds of thousands of women have used Elmiron to manage pain associated with IC for decades, new research reveals that Elmiron may be toxic to the retina, the layer of tissue at the back of the eye that processes light and allows our brain to see visual images.

Research presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) revealed alarming links between Elmiron and vision-threatening eye disease. Some key findings include:

• Roughly a quarter (25%) of patients with significant Elmiron exposure showed signs of eye damage;
• Elmiron toxicity can “masquerade” as other retinal conditions, leading many patients to be misdiagnosed with age-related macular degeneration or pattern dystrophy.
• The rate of Elmiron toxicity may increase with the amount of medication a patient takes; from 11% for patients taking between 500 and 1,000 grams to 42% for patients who take 1,500 grams or more.

Links between Elmiron and eye disease gained attention after doctors at Emory Eye Care Center reported that six patients who used Elmiron for approximately 15 years developed unusual changes in the macula – the part of the retina responsible for delivering crisp, clear, central vision to the brain.

A subsequent review by ophthalmologists at Kaiser Permanente found one-quarter of patients who used Elmiron long-term showed clear signs of drug toxicity. Though some damage caused by Elmiron use may be mitigated by stopping the medication, late-stage toxicity can result inpermanent vision loss.

Patients with retinal injuries caused by Elmiron may experience:

• Difficulty reading
• Difficulties adapting to low light
• Dimming of vision
• Blurred vision, often in the central field of vision
• Dark spot(s) in the central field of vision (paracentral scotoma)
• Distorted vision, including straight lines that appear curved or squiggly
• Difficulties seeing colors / less vibrant or muted colors

Elmiron Vision Loss Lawsuits: Justice for Victims

In light of the studies and unfolding research, patients who developed eye disease after taking Elmiron have begun filing lawsuits against Teva Branded Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the drug companies that have marketed Elmiron since the 1990s.

Victims in these lawsuits allege:

1. They suffered permanent retinal injuries and vision loss as a result of Elmiron toxicity;
2. Drug makers failed to warn consumers about potential risks of pigmentary maculopathy and retinopathy associated with the medication; and
3. Drug makers failed to warn about the need for medical monitoring and instruct patients to undergo regular eye exams to monitor their vision while taking Elmiron.

Bailey Cowan Heckaman PLLC is actively following ongoing research into Elmiron and links between Pentosan polysulfate sodium and eye damage. If you or someone you love has suffered vision loss or other eye or vision-related side effects after taking Elmiron, we’re available to review your case at no cost, and discuss whether you may have grounds to pursue legal action.

We’re particularly interested in speaking with patients who have:

• Experienced vision problems after long-term use of Elmiron.
• Been diagnosed with pigmentary maculopathy, age-related macular degeneration, pattern dystrophy, and other similar eye / retina condition after taking Elmiron.

Proven Lawyers Fighting For the Compensation You Deserve

As a firm experienced in taking on powerful corporations and Big Pharma, our team at BCH has the resources, professional connections, and determination to assist victims and their families in the pursuit of justice and financial compensation for their damages – including compensation for:

• Pain and suffering;
• Lost quality of life;
• Lost income / lost future wages,
• Past and future medical bills; and
• Other economic and non-economic damages.

Request a FREE consultation with a BCH attorney. Call (713) 425-7100 or contact us online.