Multimodal Imaging Can Help Diagnose Elmiron Eye Damage Known as Pigmentary Maculopathy

By Austin Kirk
Posted April 23, 2021

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April 2026 Update: Saiontz & Kirk is no longer filing new Elmiron lawsuits. This page is for informational and historical purposes only.

As Elmiron lawsuits were previously filed by individuals diagnosed with a form of vision damage known as pigmentary maculopathy, former long-term users of the bladder drug were urged to be aware that ophthalmology exams involving multimodal imaging could help detect this type of eye damage.

Pigmentary maculopathy was alleged in Elmiron lawsuits to be a unique type of retina injury that may cause former users of the drug to experience a number of vision problems, including:

• Blurry Vision
• Loss of Night Vision
• Dark Spots
• Loss of Vision Detail
• Difficulty Reading
• Blindness

Studies suggested that these vision problems could continue to worsen even after Elmiron was discontinued. Researchers also indicated that once this type of retina damage occurred, it may not be reversible and could leave long-term users with permanent vision issues.

Before June 2020, Elmiron’s U.S. warning label did not include information about the risk of pigmentary changes in the retina. Later studies highlighted the importance of multimodal imaging for long-term Elmiron users, including baseline testing when the drug was first prescribed and follow-up eye exams to monitor for retinal changes.

Elmiron lawsuits previously alleged that earlier warnings may have allowed patients and doctors to detect pigmentary changes sooner or reconsider continued use of the drug.

Benefits of Multimodal Imagine Diagnosing Elmiron Side Effects

Multimodal imaging involves the use of multiple different types of imagine scans conducted at the same time. By correlating the different types of information those imaging scans produce, healthcare professionals can get a clearer picture of what is occurring in the scanned location.

As independent researchers have examined the link between Elmiron and eye damage, a number of studies used this technique to identify the unique pattern of retina problems specifically seen among users of the interstitial cystitis drug.

In February 2021, researchers with Northwestern University published a study in the journal Clinical Ophthalmology, which identified the “signature” of Elmiron-related maculopathy. Researchers determined that this eye damage could easily be diagnosed by multimodal imaging scans that include fundus photography, fundus autofluoresence and ocular coherence tomography imaging all at once. This resulted in what they called a ”distinct clinical constellation” of retinal damage specifically caused by Elmiron.

In April 2021, another study published in the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology found that 1-in-5 long-term users of Elmiron had evidence of this retina damage. Researchers with the Stein Eye Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles recommended baseline eye examinations to detect macular toxicity from Elmiron, which could be conducted using multimodal imaging that involved near-infrared reflectance (NIR), fundus autofluoresence (FAF) and optical coherence tomography.

There has been evidence of the effectiveness of multimodal imaging to detect the specific eye problems caused by Elmiron for several years.

In November 2018, a study published in the journal Ophthalmology first raised concerns about the vision risks among users of Elmiron. Researchers with Emory University Hospital noted that multimodal retinal imaging helped demonstrate abnormalities in the retinal pigment epithelium, which appeared to linked to chronic Elmiron exposure. However, at that time, the manufacturers had not disclosed the information to users, urologists or the eye care community.

Elmiron Vision Loss Lawsuits

Elmiron vision loss lawsuits were previously filed by individuals who alleged that the drug makers knew or should have known about the risk of pigmentary maculopathy and other retinal injuries, but failed to provide adequate warnings until June 2020.

The lawsuits claimed that long-term users may have avoided continued exposure, obtained earlier eye monitoring or received a more accurate diagnosis if stronger warnings had been provided sooner. Some Elmiron lawsuits involved former users who were diagnosed with pigmentary maculopathy or other retina damage that was confirmed through multimodal imaging.

Saiontz & Kirk is no longer filing new Elmiron lawsuits. This page is maintained for informational and historical purposes only.