B12 and detached retina

[ZennorB]

Has anyone ever heard of B12 injections causing a detached retina?

[Hillwoman]

No! Who has suggested this to you?

[ZennorB in reply to Hillwoman]

It's complicated, but I was researching retinal detachment and B12 deficiency, to see if there could be any connection, and I came across some research saying that B12 injections had been linked with actually causing retinal detachment. I have been worried about being susceptible to it as my younger brother has had retinal detachments in both eyes, and I have recently had cataract surgery in both eyes, which makes you more prone to retinal detachment. I started b12 injections a couple of months ago.

[Hillwoman in reply to ZennorB]

Do you have a link to that research? I'd like to read it, and I'm sure other members over the age of 50 would be concerned about this possibility.

[ZennorB in reply to Hillwoman]

factmed.com/study-VITAMIN%2...

[Hillwoman in reply to ZennorB]

I can't actually see a causal correlation here, just three reports of RD in patients taking B12.

[dragonfly5465]

I don't know the details, but I remember reading that ther may be a link specifically with cyanocobalamin b12 and sight problems in smokers.

I have retinitis, and am partially sighted (but don't smoke) so try and avoid this type of b12 just to be on the safe side.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

as Hillwoman points out the link shows a correlation not a causal link - much more likely that the causal link is B12 deficiency as this can cause cardio vascular problems and could result in high blood pressure which is one possible cause of a detached retina.

dragonfly5465 cyanocobalamin is contra-indicated for the treatment of people with lebers disease - which gives them a particular sensitivity to the cyano- part of cyanocobalamin. These people should also not smoke because of the trace amounts of cyanide in processed tobacco.

Some smokers actually report that cyanocobalamin works better for them than hydroxocobalamin

[ZennorB]

Hi there

Yes, thinking about it a bit more it probably is that if you have B12 deficiency, you are more likely to have retinal detachment, and more likely to be having B12 injections, so that's going to skew any research figures. Thanks for the replies

[ndodge]

I have chronic uveitis all my life, so definitely have eye problems. No detached retina, but I did have a hemorrhage in my retina.

I had been on cyanocobalamin for a year and then methyl for about a year and a half and still injecting every other day.

No problems with my eyes on b12.😊

[ndodge]

P.S. The eye hemorrhage was many many years before I started on B12.

[ZennorB]

Thanks for sharing that.