A Rare Case of Chronic Photophobia Associated With Oral Vancomycin Therapy: Exploring the Relationship

Serin Moideen Sheriff; Nonso Kingsley Chukwunyelu; Chinedu J Ezeafulukwe; Sandra S Kunnel; Omar A Hassan

doi:10.7759/cureus.42145

A Rare Case of Chronic Photophobia Associated With Oral Vancomycin Therapy: Exploring the Relationship

Cureus. 2023 Jul 19;15(7):e42145. doi: 10.7759/cureus.42145. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Authors

Serin Moideen Sheriff^{1

2}, Nonso Kingsley Chukwunyelu³, Chinedu J Ezeafulukwe⁴, Sandra S Kunnel⁵, Omar A Hassan⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, Delhi, IND.
² Department of Internal Medicine, Odesa National Medical University, Odessa, UKR.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, Sumy State University, Sumy, UKR.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, Windsor University School of Medicine, Cayon, KNA.
⁵ Department of Internal Medicine, Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Thiruvalla, IND.
⁶ Department of General Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, TUR.

Abstract

Vancomycin is a widely used tricyclic glycopeptide antibiotic for treating various Gram-positive infections, including Clostridium difficile colitis. Although considered generally safe, it has been associated with several side effects. In this case report, we highlight a rare adverse effect in which a patient experienced chronic photophobia following treatment with oral vancomycin. This sheds light upon a potential relationship between oral vancomycin therapy and photophobia, emphasizing the need for increased awareness in clinical practice and urging further investigation into this association.

Keywords: adverse drug events; chronic photophobia; clostridium difficile colitis; ocular symptoms; oral vancomycin therapy.

Publication types

Case Reports