Is conjunctivitis a common side effect of breast cancer chemotherapy?

I had conjunctivitis my first time around with chemotherapy. I saw an ophthalmologist. I was placed on antibiotics and admitted to the hospital as I had to take the antibiotics by IV due to severe Gerds disease.

Erlinda, I had both conjunctivitis and a mild corneal abrasion but my soft contact lenses were sticking and difficult to remove. My nose was very sore too. Abreva worked well. My Ophthalmologist prescribed eye drops and another contact lens brand that worked well. I was on Xeloda and my WBCs/neutrophils were .8, and she said that chemo and being so immunocompromised was my problem. Chemo is not targeted and affects a lot of areas. 🙏

Thank you for sharing! My ophthalmologist stated that conjunctivitis/ blepharitis are common side effects of chemotherapy.

This is a great question about managing treatment side effects. Eye symptoms like conjunctivitis can occur during breast cancer chemotherapy, and it's important to address them with your healthcare team. Both your oncologist and an ophthalmologist can help - your oncologist should know about any side effects you're experiencing, and they may refer you to an eye specialist for specific treatment of the conjunctivitis symptoms you described.