Ocular Toxicology of Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Effects on Retinitis Pigmentosa,

Sixty-five patients were treated with DMSO, and fifty-eight served as controls. Data from patient follow-ups at one year, two years, and three years, and four to seven years after the last follow-up were compared. No objective, significant improvement was noted for visual acuity, color vision, visual fields, dark adaptation, electroretinography, or electrooculography in treated versus control groups. Over a two-year period, we did find minimal deterioration in visual acuity, but that observation in visual fields, color vision, and visual acuity in both the treated and non-treated groups. Because of our wide range of entering visual acuities, it is impossible to ascertain in this population of patients whether or not a very subtle second-order effects are present with DMSO treatment. These finding contradict the earlier study that showed apparent improvement in vision or stabilization of vision in 48 of 50 patients.