Skip to main content

Main menu

  • About Us
    • Leadership
    • Our Team
    • Vision, Mission and Values
    • Health and Economic Impact
    • Research Impact Video
    • Strategic Plan
  • Our Research
    • Research Focus
      • Brain Health
      • Cancer
      • Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence
      • Heart Health
      • Healthy Aging and Mobility
      • Immune System
      • Injury and Rehabilitation
      • Lung Health
      • Mental Health and Substance Use
    • Research Centres and Programs
      • BC Centre on Substance Use
      • Centre for Aging SMART
      • Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation
      • Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation
      • Centre for Lung Health
      • Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
      • Immunity and Infection Research Centre
      • International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries
      • M. H. Mohseni Institute of Urologic Sciences
      • Ovarian Cancer Research Centre
      • Community Research Program
      • Emergency Medicine Research Program
      • Hematology Research Program
      • Skin Research Program
      • Other Research Focus Areas
    • News and Stories
    • Researcher Directory
    • Events and Workshops
  • Research Services
    • New to VCHRI
      • Working at VCHRI
      • Regulations and Training
      • Membership with VCHRI
      • Learning and Development
    • Starting Your Project
      • Research Facilitation
      • Awards and Funding
      • Grant Management
      • Operational Approval
      • CST Cerner
    • Developing Your Project
      • Clinical Trials Administration
      • Clinical Research Unit
      • Research Privacy
      • Financial Policies and Procedures
    • Additional Support
      • Indigenous Health Research Unit
      • VCH-VCHRI AI Hub
      • Communications and Media Relations
      • Study Recruitment Support
      • Innovation and Industry Partnership
    • Internal Awards
    • Clinical Research
    • Indigenous Research
  • Participate in Research
    • Reasons to Participate
    • Participant Stories
    • Find a Study
    • Recruitment Support

User menu

  • Log in

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Our Research
  3. News and Stories
  4. Men with glaucoma more likely to have erectile dysfunction

Men with glaucoma more likely to have erectile dysfunction

Stories Dec 5, 2016 3 minutes

B.C. studies show glaucoma medications not at fault for higher risk of impotence.

A new study shows men with glaucoma are two and a half times more likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED) than men without the eye disease. The link between the two conditions has been firmly established by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute research scientist Dr. Frederick S. Mikelberg. Using population data and a clinical study, Dr. Mikelberg followed up on a Taiwanese study that first linked erectile dysfunction to glaucoma. Dr. Mikelberg and his colleagues were curious to see if they could find a reason for the correlation.

“We thought it was going to be related to the eye drops given to glaucoma patients, but we found that it wasn’t. That was a surprise.” Dr. Mikelberg says this is good news for men with glaucoma who might have been hesitant to use medication if it was possibly causing ED.

But if glaucoma medication isn’t causing ED then what is the relation between the two conditions? Dr. Mikelberg says the strongest theory now is a vascular one. 

“Glaucoma has a link to vascular factors and ED is a vascular problem. So our hypothesis is they both have that potentially common factor.”

Dr. Mikelberg cautions against jumping to conclusions about prevention knowing that there is a vascular link. He says when people hear vascular they often think about things like high blood pressure and clogged arteries, which can be improved with diet and lifestyle factors like exercise. But these factors are not related to glaucoma.

“In fact, in glaucoma, lifestyle changes like these seem to have no impact,” says Dr. Mikelberg.

“We are talking instead about blood flow issues. Another interesting and strong correlation to glaucoma is presence of migraines. And migraine headaches are a vascular disease often caused by vascular spasms or vasospasms – constrictions of the arteries. A migraine is a special kind of vascular headache. Blood vessels constrict and decrease blood flow to parts of brain. This mechanism may occur in glaucoma and in ED.”

Dr. Mikelberg says the only lifestyle change that may make a difference for both diseases is not smoking, since smoking is known to constrict blood flow.

Glaucoma is a silent disease in the early stages – 50 per cent of people don’t even know they have it. But with early detection and treatment most people will have normal vision for the rest of their lives. Again, Dr. Mikelberg hesitates to say his findings should prompt dramatic changes in treatment. He says there is not enough in the studies to date to say that ED patients will get glaucoma. And researchers can’t pinpoint if one condition starts before the other. 

“Suggesting that everyone with ED should have an eye test right away, honestly that’s a stretch. It’s not that strong a predictive factor. Let’s just say it’s a curiosity, an interesting correlation, one that makes you think more openly about the two diseases.” Dr. Mikelberg says he’s keen to see what future research may uncover. 

 

Researchers

Frederick Mikelberg

Related Articles

Behind the lab doors: Eye Care Centre

Novel AI model explains retinal sex difference

Transformative treatment for wet, age-related macular degeneration

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Email

Get the latest research headlines in your inbox

Subscribe

Recent News and Stories

Type
Announcement

Celebrating the life and distinguished career of Dr. Marcel Dvorak

May 14, 2025
Type
Stories

More equitable representation needed in Parkinson’s research

May 9, 2025 parkinsons, patient engagement, women
Type
Stories

Gamified stroke recovery improves arm function

May 8, 2025 stroke, rehabilitation
See more news

Get updates!

Join our newsletter mailing list to stay up to date on features and releases.

Subscribe

Quick Links

  • News and Stories
  • Careers
  • Events
  • Media Enquiries

Follow Us

  • LinkedIn
  • X
  • YouTube

© 2025 VCHRI. All rights reserved.

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy