Popular erection meds could make you go blind: study

Nypost · Aug 18, 2026 · 714 words · By McKenzie Beard

Medical Risk Pharmaceutical Side Effects

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What to know about Medical Risk

Popular erection meds could make you go blind: study See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 14

Techniques found 3

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center50%

Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Popular erection meds could make you go blind: study See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google A popular bedroom helper could be more than meets the eye.

Common ground

New research suggests that a widely used erectile dysfunction drug may also raise the risk of developing a serious eye disease that can cause permanent vision loss.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Medical Risk story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Participants taking the drug also had a 32% higher risk of developing ocular hypertension?
How does this story connect Medical Risk with Pharmaceutical Side Effects over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/18/health/popular-erection-meds-could-make-you-go-bli…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

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Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Appeal to Fear 80% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 60% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

schedule Pending 4

help Insufficient Evidence 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “Participants taking the drug also had a 32% higher risk of developing ocular hypertension”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including 'Study Links Long-Term Use of Tadalafil to Increased Glaucoma Risk' and 'Drug Discovery', confirm the 32% higher risk of developing ocular hypertension.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Finasteride/tadalafil, sold under the brand name Entadfi, is a fixed-dose combination medication used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It contains finasteride and tadalafil. It…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finasteride/tadalafil

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5 inhibitor) is a vasodilating drug that works by blocking the degradative action of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) on cyclic GMP in the smooth …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDE5_inhibitor

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tadalafil, sold under the brand name Cialis among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is taken by mouth. O…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadalafil

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 2: “There’s currently no cure for glaucoma, and the vision loss it causes can’t be reversed.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “They found that men prescribed tadalafil were 22% more likely to develop glaucoma than those who hadn’t taken a PDE5 inhibitor.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources, including ScienceDaily and other health reports, specifically cite the 22% higher risk of developing glaucoma for men prescribed tadalafil compared to a control group.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Cyclic guanosine monophosphate-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 is an enzyme (EC 3.1.4.17) from the phosphodiesterase class. It is found in various tissues, most prominently the corpus cavernosum of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CGMP-specific_phosphodiesteras…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Vardenafil, sold under the brand name Levitra among others, is a medication that is used for treating erectile dysfunction. It is a PDE5 inhibitor. It is taken by mouth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vardenafil

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “The drug, tadalafil, is better known by its brand name, Cialis.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources, including Flipboard, PocketDrugGuide, and Acibadem Health Point, confirm that tadalafil is the generic name for the brand-name drug Cialis.

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web search NEUTRAL — Brand Cialis, Generic Tadalafil, and Other PDE5 Options. Cialis is the originator brand name for tadalafil. A generic tadalafil tablet contains the same active ingredient, but manufacturers, inactive …
https://pocketdrugguide.com/ca/product/cialis/

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web search NEUTRAL — Tadalafil: The Gateway Drug to Better Sex. Cialis is a drug that is utilized to deal with impotence (ED) and also male urinary system symptoms (LUTS).What is the difference between generic and brand n…
https://cop.edso.eu/home/news/a-dose-of-tadalafil-what-you-n…

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web search NEUTRAL — Cialis is a brand name for tadalafil. It is approved for erectile dysfunction, for the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and in some cases for both together.
https://www.acibademhealthpoint.com/blog/cialis-dosage-a-doc…

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 5: “researchers at the National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei... analyzed health data from nearly 74,000 men ages 40 and older.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm a study analyzing health data from nearly 74,000 male patients regarding PDE5 inhibitors and glaucoma. While the specific hospital name is mentioned in the claim, the data size and subject matter are corroborated by multiple reports.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — China Medical University (CMU; Chinese: 中國醫藥大學; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tiong-kok I-io̍h Tāi-ha̍k) is a private university in Taichung, Taiwan. The university has enrolled approximately 8,000 students.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Medical_University_(Taiw…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine (Chinese: 國立成功大學醫學院), or "College of Medicine, NCKU", is the medical school of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan City, Taiwan. Foun…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cheng_Kung_University…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — National Taiwan University (NTU; Chinese: 國立臺灣大學; pinyin: Guólì Táiwān Dàxué) is a national research university in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded in 1928 during Japanese rule as Taihoku Imperial University (…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Taiwan_University

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 6: “an estimated 5 million tadalafil prescriptions were written for more than 1 million men in the US in 2024 alone”

CORROBORATED

ClinCalc DrugStats provides a specific estimate of 5.5 million tadalafil prescriptions in 2024, which closely aligns with the claim of 'an estimated 5 million'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. Under the U.S. Constitution, the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_Unit…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal district (Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States). The U.S. also possesses five major territor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_and_territories…

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 7: “tadalafil is also approved to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia explicitly lists tadalafil as a medication used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate). This is also supported by Acibadem Health Point.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Oct 29, 2025 · Aprende a preparar un cocido madrileño en Thermomix, con todos los pasos claros y consejos para un resultado perfecto.
https://okdiario.com/recetas/cocido-madrileno-thermomix-1567…

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web search NEUTRAL — Amplia variedad de fantásticas recetas de paso a paso publicadas por cocineros caseros como tú.
https://cookpad.com/co/buscar/paso+a+paso

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Apr 7, 2026 · Receta casera de habas con jamón Elaboración paso a paso Sacamos las habas de las vainas y si queremos pelarlas las podemos escaldar ligeramente para que se levante la piel.
https://www.abc.es/recetasderechupete/habas-con-jamon-receta…

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Claim 8: “glaucoma affects an estimated 4.22 million American adults”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny the specific figure of 4.22 million American adults affected by glaucoma.

help

Claim 9: “it [glaucoma] becomes more common with age and is one of the leading causes of blindness among people over 60, according to the Mayo Clinic.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm the specific attribution to the Mayo Clinic regarding glaucoma being a leading cause of blindness for those over 60.

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Claim 10: “It belongs to a class of medications called phosphodiesterase Type 5 inhibitors, or PDE5 inhibitors.”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web sources (Bolt Pharmacy, Rugiet, and a medical study) explicitly state that tadalafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Tadalafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor that causes modest vasodilation, typically lowering blood pressure by 1–4 mmHg systolic and 1–2 mmHg diastolic.
https://www.boltpharmacy.co.uk/guide/is-tadalafil-good-for-h…

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web search NEUTRAL — Of these, oral phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are recommended as a first line of therapy (6-8). Tadalafil can be absorbed rapidly and possesses a longer half-life of 17.5 hours than other …
https://tau.amegroups.org/article/view/44824/html?_upf_link=…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Tadalafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. PDE5 enzymes regulate blood vessel constriction in several tissues, including penile tissue, the prostate and bladder, pulmonary blood vessels…
https://www.rugiet.com/blog/physical-health/daily-tadalafil-…

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Claim 11: “Certain health conditions, including diabetes, migraine, high blood pressure and sickle cell anemia, can also increase the odds of developing glaucoma.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 12: “That figure rose to 33% for primary open-angle glaucoma”

CORROBORATED

Independent sources (Drug Discovery and other health reports) specifically mention the 33% higher risk for primary open-angle glaucoma.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mad Men is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner for AMC. It ran from July 19, 2007 until May 17, 2015, with seven seasons and 92 episodes. The series title is allegedly…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Men

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A man is an adult male human. Before adulthood, a male child or adolescent is referred to as a boy. Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Men is the plural of man, an adult male human being. Men or MEN may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_(disambiguation)

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 13: “Common risk factors include high pressure inside the eye, a family history of glaucoma, extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness, previous eye injuries and long-term use of corticosteroid medications”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 14: “People over 55, as well as those of black, Asian or Hispanic descent, face a higher risk.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.