Abstract
The adverse ocular reactions to paclitaxels involve a series of damage,
which can be observed on ocular surface, ocular appendages and
intraocular tissues. They can appear as various clinical symptoms
including dry eye, lacrimal duct obstruction, conjunctivitis, keratitis,
macular edema, retinal injury, optic nerve injury, and etc. All these
symptoms may lead to irreversible visual loss. The mechanisms of these
side effects are still unclear. Macular edema, one of the side effects,
may be related to the dysfunction of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE)
cells and Müller cells which is caused by paclitaxel, while other
symptoms may be caused by the cytotoxicity of paclitaxels. In this
review, we describe the widely accepted drug-induced ocular disorders
and the possible mechanisms, so as to provide some suggestions for the
monitoring and management of ocular toxicity.