Heroin addicts and vision problems: A prospective study

Abstract

Many addicts have poor living conditions that affect the nature and rate of deterioration of their vision and its relation to social, psychological, and physical functions. This exploratory study provides details about the vision problems of 65 heroin addicts in methadone treatment. The majority reported needing glasses and 40% said their eyes were never examined. Ophthalmologic screening showed that addicts tend to report more vision problems than actually exist. Older addicts, age 40 years or more, have significantly more vision problems than those who are younger. Among those screened, 11% were myopic or nearsighted, 7% had a cataract; 5% were hyperopic or farsighted; and about 4% had strabismus (i.e. were cross-eyed). These findings do not tend to differ from prevalence statistics available for a general population of the same age. This report discusses vision, its relation to the ageing process and drug treatment, and provides recommendations for future research.