Some of the most serious side effects listed in the patient/prescribing information for Viagra and other ED medications have to do with vision.

The good news is that these occurrences are very rare. Also, a study published in the April, 2009 edition of Archives of Ophthalmology showed that 212 men who took Viagra and Cialis every day for three months reported no changes in visual function, signs of retina damage or intraocular pressure. A total of 155 of these men continued to take the medications for a total of 6 months, and they also reported no vision loss or impairment of any kind.

The FDA stated in 2005 that a "small number" of reports linked vision loss in men to the use of FDA-approved ED medications. This resulted in a labeling change on packages of Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. Viagra entered the U.S. market in 1998 and Cialis and Levitra entered the market in 2003.

Yet, the FDA said "it is not possible to determine whether these oral medicines for erectile dysfunction were the cause of the loss of eyesight or whether the problem is related to other factors such as high blood pressure or diabetes, or to a combination of these problems."

In any case, the above-referenced Archives of Ophthalmology study showed evidence that should be very assuring to men who take FDA-approved ED medications. The authors of this study concluded that, with regard to the vision of study participants, "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."

Access a summary of the study published by Reuters news organization here.