Study Links Common Erectile-Dysfunction Drug to Higher Glaucoma Risk

A team at National Taiwan University Hospital analyzed data from almost 74,000 men over 40, half of whom had been taking tadalafil or another PDE5 inhibitor for urinary issues linked to an enlarged prostate. Compared with men who never used these drugs, tadalafil users were 22% more likely to develop glaucoma and 33% more likely to develop the most common form, primary open-angle glaucoma. The study also identified a 32% higher incidence of ocular hypertension among users, a key precursor to glaucoma, with risk spikes observed after as little as one month of treatment.

While the authors stress the observational nature of the work and caution against stopping therapy, they recommend that men on tadalafil consider periodic eye check-ups, particularly if they have existing glaucoma risk factors. The findings are notable given the estimated 5 million tadalafil prescriptions written for over 1 million U.S. men in 2024, against a backdrop of roughly 4.22 million American adults living with undiagnosed glaucoma.