AN AUTHORITATIVE AND ESSENTIAL CONSUMER GUIDE TO THE FLOMAX LAWSUIT [2026]

Flomax belongs to a a family of drugs called alpha-adrenergic blockers, which work by relaxing veins and arteries so that blood can flow easily by them.  The primary use of Flomax is by men who sufer urination difficulties such as waking up during the night, frequent urination and the urgent need to urinate caused by a condition known as Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

However, studies have found that Flomax may also relax smooth muscles in the eye, potentially resulting in Flomax eye problems and other potential and severe Flomax Side Effects after cataract surgery among older men.

The use of Flomax before cataract surgery has been known to increase the risk of an Flomax eye problems known as Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS). However, research published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in May 2009 indicated that the risk Flomax and Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome may be more substantial than previously indicated by the manufacturer.

Approximately 2 million cataract surgeries are performed each year in the United States, and most involve older individuals.

Research has found that when taken within two weeks of cataract surgery, Flomax side effects more than double the risk of men over 65 developing Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome. Although the Flomax vision problems were most severe when taken within two weeks of cataract surgery, the Flomax eye problems have been seen among patients who stopped using the medication up to a year before surgery.

While it has been known that side effects of Flomax may increase the risk of Flomax eye problems following cataract surgery, new research emphasize the extent of the risk, leading to the calling for a reassessment of the language used on the warning label, which is buried as a “general precaution.”

The study looked at data which involved 96,128 men 66 years old and older who had cataract surgery in Canada between 2002 and 2007. Approximately 7.5% of men who were treated with Flomax during the 14 days before surgery developed serious Flomax eye problems,, such as retinal detachment, lost lens or inflammation around the eye caused by a condition known as Intraoperative Floppy Eye Syndrome (IFIS). Among men who were not treated with Flomax, only 2.7% experienced similar eye complications.

The study conclusion stated:

Conclusions Exposure to tamsulosin within 14 days of cataract surgery was significantly associated with serious postoperative ophthalmic adverse events. There were no significant associations with exposure to other α-blocker medications used to treat BPH.

. . .

Tamsulosin is believed to relieve symptoms of BPH by relaxing smooth muscle in the prostate and bladder neck through systemic blockade of α1a-adrenergic receptors. Because these receptors are present in dilator smooth muscle of the iris, tamsulosin may also impede mydriasis during surgery and lead to intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS). In turn, IFIS may increase the risk of complications during cataract surgery. This association has prompted warnings regarding the risk of IFIS for patients taking tamsulosin and undergoing cataract surgery. However, the warnings and noted precautions in reference materials focused only on the added intraoperative difficulty associated with tamsulosin and did not mention postoperative adverse events.

 

Bell CM, Hatch WV, Fischer HD, et al. Association Between Tamsulosin and Serious Ophthalmic Adverse Events in Older Men Following Cataract Surgery. JAMA. 2009;301(19):1991–1996. doi:10.1001/jama.2009.683 (footnotes omittted; emphasis added).