Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a valuable reminder to take an active approach to your health, and reflect on the variety of cancer treatment options and how each course of action can impact your body as a whole. While it is commonly understood that any type of treatment can result in varying side effects, many are unaware how these treatments can impact eye health.

Estrogen and progesterone are hormones that can promote the growth of certain breast cancer cells, known as hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells. These cells contain hormone receptors that become activated upon attaching to hormones, which stimulates to the growth of cancer cells. This process can be prevented by a variety of cancer treatments, including hormone therapy.

Tumors that use estrogen to grow are called estrogen-sensitive tumors. Hormone therapy deters the growth of tumors that are hormone-sensitive by inhibiting the production of hormones. Often used for the treatment of breast cancer in men and women, tamoxifen is a common drug that attaches to the hormone receptor, blocking estrogen from the receptor and therefore cutting off the cancerous cells’ supply of the hormones needed for growth.

Any type of hormone therapy may result in a variety of side effects, including those that affect your vision. Tamoxifen is a course of treatment that is most commonly linked to ocular side effects, and is known for increasing the risk of cataracts, which is the clouding of the eye lens, and retinopathy, a disease of the retina, both of which can result in loss of vision.

Throughout the course of cancer treatment, side effects may occur with fluctuating levels of severity. Treatments affect all individuals differently, therefore it is essential to be aware of your body’s changes and inform your oncologist or doctor should any side effects develop or worsen.

Those undergoing hormone therapy treatment for breast cancer are encouraged to take advantage of regular eye exams to properly monitor eye health, manage symptoms and learn more about eye treatment options. If you experience sudden loss of vision, sensitivity to light, eye infection or severe eye pain, contact your eye care professional immediately. Be sure to inform your doctor that you are taking tamoxifen.

Those who have recently been diagnosed with cancer, but have yet to begin treatment, are recommended to schedule an eye appointment. An examination prior to starting cancer treatment will provide your eye care professional with a reliable baseline for your eye health that will assist them in monitoring changes and any new developments throughout the course of your treatment.

If you have concerns about your vision, it is important to speak to a doctor to discuss treatment options. Dr. E. Trevor Elmquist, Dr. Kate Wagner, Dr. Nina Burt, and Dr. Sarah Eccles-Brown of Elmquist Eye Group are available to answer your questions. With over 20 years of service to the Southwest Florida community, Elmquist Eye Group offers experienced doctors that are dedicated to patient care. Elmquist Eye Group’s Cape Coral office is located at 2336 Surfside Blvd., Suite 121, and additional offices are located in Fort Myers and at Shell Point. For more information, visit www.Elmquist.com, call 239-936-2020 or stop by an Optical Boutique location in Cape Coral or Fort Myers.