Acute effects of sildenafil (viagra) on blue-on-yellow and white-on-white Humphrey perimetry

J Neuroophthalmol. 2000 Dec;20(4):227-8.

Abstract

Objective: To study the effects of sildenafil on blue-on-yellow and white-on-white Humphrey visual field (HVF).

Materials and methods: Healthy subjects, ages 20 to 38 years, were prospectively randomized to active drug (n = 5) or placebo (n = 3) groups. Blue-on-yellow and white-on-white HVF testing was performed before and 1 hour after masked dosing of sildenafil 200 mg or placebo. Changes in mean deviation (MD) were compared between groups.

Results: Three of three placebo and four of five sildenafil subjects had no change on HVF. One of five sildenafil subjects had a decrease in MD of 17.9 dB and 4.7 dB on blue-on-yellow and white-on-white HVF testing, respectively. This subject reported more systemic side effects than other subjects.

Conclusions: Sildenafil has no effect on HVF testing in most persons; however, sildenafil caused an acute abnormality of HVF testing in one subject, who experienced pronounced non-visual systemic symptoms; this effect was greater on blue-on-yellow than white-on-white HVF.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • 3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Piperazines / pharmacology*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Purines
  • Retina / drug effects
  • Sildenafil Citrate
  • Sulfones
  • Visual Field Tests
  • Visual Fields / drug effects*

Substances

  • Piperazines
  • Purines
  • Sulfones
  • Sildenafil Citrate
  • 3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases