The impact of combined oral contraceptives on ocular tissues: a review of ocular effects

Marilita M. Moschos, Moschos MM, Eirini Nitoda, Nitoda E
International journal of ophthalmology · 2017 · vol. 10(10) , pp. 1604–1610 · doi:10.18240/ijo.2017.10.19 · PMID:29062782 · PMC5638984 · W2768452764
review OA: gold CC0
📄 Open PDF View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by gemini-2.5-flash-lite, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This review examines combined oral contraceptives' actions and adverse effects on ocular tissues, noting rare complications like dry eye and retinal issues, with potential prevention through estrogen dosage adjustment or progestin choice.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

The aim of this manuscript is to review the action and adverse effects of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) on ocular tissues. The percentage of unwanted pregnancies and the subsequent abortions make contraception crucial worldwide. Over 100 million women around the world use common contraceptive methods, including intrauterine devices, combined estrogen and progestin oral contraceptives, as well as progestin only preparations (oral contraceptives, implants or injections). COCs are widely used for contraception, but they are also indicated in menorrhagia, endometriosis, acne and hirsutism, fibroid uterus and premenstrual syndrome. However, they have been associated with high rates of cardiovascular events, venous thromboembolic disease, ischemic strokes and breast cancer. The incidence of COCs-related ocular complications is estimated to be 1 in 230 000, including dry eye symptoms, corneal edema, lens opacities and retinal neuro-ophthalmologic or vascular complications. We may infer that the serious ocular complications of COCs can be prevented by eliminating the estrogen dosage and choosing third-generation progestins. In any case, doctors should take into consideration the systemic and ocular history of the patients before selecting any method of contraception.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

endometriosis

Citation neighborhood (sparse)

Too few in-corpus citations on either side for a chart; here are the lists.

Cites (1)

References (64)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-09-12T06:14:40.653888+00:00
openalex
last seen: 2026-06-04T00:00:01.174412+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-05-13T22:20:13.663096+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK