by Kate Johns

Created on: July 23, 2009   Last Updated: July 25, 2009

Flomax is a medication used mainly by men who have problems urinating. There is a long list of side effects that can occur while using Flomax and might keep you from taking this drug. Flomax may even affect your vision and sideline the cataract surgery you were thinking of having to correct vision problems.

Flomax is classified in a group of drugs that are called alpha-adrenergo blockers. This means the drug relaxes the arteries and veins, enabling blood to pass easily through them. This in turn relaxes muscles in the prostate, making it easier for a man with prostate problems to urinate.

While using Flomax, the drug may help a man to urinate, but Flomax can cause troubling vision problems. Occasional blurred vision may not represent a problem, but continual blurriness may be a sign that a man may not want to use Flomax. He may want to visit an ophthalmologist to discover if there is an eye disease or problem. These signs need to be evaluated by a doctor to see if indeed it is a side effect of the Flomax or if there is an eye disease present, such as glaucoma or diabetes.

While a man is utilizing Flomax another eye problem has surfaced that is called Introperative Floppy Iris Syndrome or IFIS. The problem occurs when a person goes to an eye surgeon to have cataract surgery; it may not be able to be performed due to IFIS surfacing while utilizing Flomax, thus preventing surgery from taking place. It seems the Flomax affects the patient's pupils in such a manner that cataract surgery can't occur.

Before a person has eye surgery, its is highly suggested that the surgery candidate tell the surgeon if he has recently taken Flomax. The Flomax user also has to tell the surgeon if he has taken this drug within the past nine months, because Flomax still can affect the eyes for that length of time.

Flomax has a long list of side effects that may derail a potential user from taking this medication. Besides having blurred vision while using Flomax, a user can experience coughing, back pain, trouble sleeping, headaches, prolonged erections, and a drowsy feeling. Check with your doctor first to see if you need cataract surgery before utilizing Flomax so there aren't any problems. It is always a good rule to tell your doctor about all of the medications you are taking before starting a new drug. Medline Plus and Drugs.com warn that while taking Flomax the user should be careful driving. Flomax may affect alertness, so you should be certain of how this drug affects your body before driving because it can cause dizziness, blurriness and drowsiness.

Drugs.com Medline Plus

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