Question

A client undergoing tuberculosis therapy reports eye pain that worsens when moving the eyes with decreased color vision. Which medication most likely is responsible for the client's condition?

1. Rifampin
2. Isoniazid
3. Ethambutol
4. Pyrazinamide

Answer 1

The client's symptoms of eye pain and decreased color vision are indicative of ocular toxicity likely caused by the medication ethambutol, which is used to treat tuberculosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The medication most likely responsible for the client's visual disturbances, specifically eye pain and decreased color vision, is ethambutol. Ethambutol is known to cause ocular toxicity, which can lead to symptoms such as eye pain, decreased color vision, and visual field defects. It is one of the first-line antitubercular medications used in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), along with isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide. However, the particular set of ocular side effects described by the client—eye pain that worsens with eye movement and compromised color vision—are distinctive of ethambutol-induced optic neuritis. Patients on ethambutol should be regularly monitored for visual acuity changes, and usage should be reviewed if visual disturbances occur.