The Elmiron lawsuit confirmed that one significant side effect of long-term exposure to Elmiron leads to maculopathy, an eye disorder that damages the macula and causes blindness. 

Wetherall represents persons who have suffered severe eye damage due to Elmiron intake and are ready to file for vision and blindness claims. Our law firm has been handling lawsuits against different drug companies for decades, and always providing our clients with satisfactory results.   

What Is Elmiron?

Elmiron is an oral prescription drug that reduces bladder discomfort and pains caused by the bladder's cystitis. Elmiron contains pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) as its main active ingredient, and it's the only approved medication by the United States FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) for interstitial cystitis treatment.    

How Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium Works

Pentosan polysulfate sodium is said to work by protecting the bladder against irritants coming into the urine. Unlike other pain relief and anti-inflammatory medications, Elmiron works differently and doesn't work by stopping inflammation. 

Interstitial cystitis leaves its patients with a damaged bladder wall, which gives room for inflammation in the bladder wall due to irritating substances present in the urine. Elmiron builds a blockade to prevent this irritation.

Are There Any Links Between Elmiron and Pigmentary Maculopathy?

According to a 2018 research performed by a group of ophthalmologists, after an upsurge of eye damage in patients exposed to long-term use of Elmiron to treat interstitial cystitis, Elmiron was found linked with the pigmentary maculopathy. The ophthalmologists made this discovery after reviewing a set of people taking Elmiron. The research revealed that about 25% of the patients taking Elmiron for six months or more developed pigmentary maculopathy.

The ophthalmologists forwarded the findings to the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2019. The data presented shows that the longer patients take Elmiron, the higher their risk of developing pigmentary maculopathy. These findings saw ophthalmologists recommended that any American who has taken Elmiron for more than six months should ensure having an annual eye examination.

Early abstinence from the Elmiron after discovering eye damage could prevent further damage and exclude one from being among Elmiron eye damage victims. Discovering the development of pigmentary maculopathy earlier is essential because when if found too late, blindness could be inevitable. 

What type of Retinal Maculopathy Mainly Gets Affected by Elmiron?

Retinal maculopathy is a disease that directly affects the center of the retina known as the macula. And a damaged macula leads to total and irreversible vision loss. Maculopathy is the term generally used in referring to any condition affecting the retina; it's also a vision loss related to Elmiron's long-term use.

However, pigmentary maculopathy remains the specific maculopathy linked to Elmiron intake, and its symptoms include some or all of the following;

• Parafoveal pigmented deposits: This condition happens due to the abnormality of small blood vessels and capillaries around the macula. This condition can lead to total blindness.
  
  
• Vitelliform deposits: Sometimes referred to as adult pattern macular dystrophy, this condition sees round and yellowish lesions formed beneath the macula.
  
  
• Retinal pigment epithelium atrophy: In different causes of blindness, it's a common symptom of age-related macular degeneration.

Contact an Elmiron Lawsuit Lawyer

If you eventually find yourself or any of your loved ones experiencing macula-related and vision loss symptoms, contact Wetherall Group for an Elmiron lawyer today! There are time limits surrounding filing prescribed medication lawsuits, so you're advised to take an instant move to file your Elmiron lawsuit for settlements and recalls.  

Our professional drug lawyers are actively seeking filing maculopathy lawsuits against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the drug manufacturer, on behalf of injured Elmiron patients. 

Contact Wetherall Group for a free consultation: 702.838.8500 (office) 702.596.5974 (cellular).