Side effects of chemotherapeutic oculo-toxic agents: a review.

Patients with cancer are often prescribed chemotherapeutic substances that can be extremely oculo-visual-toxic in nature. Over the past several years, advances in cancer treatment have resulted in increased survival rates and patient longevity. Unfortunately, greater survival rates and longevity mean increased exposure to potentially harmful oculo-toxic substances and a higher incidence of oculo-visual side effects. Patients receiving chemotherapy may complain of symptoms that can imitate functional disorders such as blurred vision and photophobia (i.e. disorders of accommodation) and also include dry eyes or other symptomology commonly associated with disorders of the primary eye care system. These deleterious side effects affect the patient's quality of life and warrant our attention. It is essential that eye and vision care professionals appropriately diagnose and manage these induced disorders. This review presents the oculo-visual side effects of commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, the available treatment options when these unwanted side effects occur, and when known, the mechanism by which these agents cause oculo-visual toxicity.