Reversible ocular toxicity related to tamoxifen therapy

Abstract

A 42-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer developed bilateral optic disc swelling, retinal hemorrhages, and visual impairment three weeks after starting treatment with low doses of tamoxifen. Neurologic evaluation failed to provide an explanation for the ocular findings which resolved completely after cessation of tamoxifen therapy. This case suggests that tamoxifen has the potential for causing serious ophthalmologic toxicity which may be reversible if recognized early.