Background: Linezolid like many other systemic drugs can cause reversible sight threatening adverse reaction. A proper causality assessment tool can help decide discontinuing a drug when an adverse event is suspected. Case presentation: We describe a case of progressive visual loss in a 28-year-old lady under long term linezolid for extensively drug resistant tuberculosis. A marked improvement in vision was seen on discontinuation of linezolid. Conclusion: A knowledge of visual monitoring in patients under long term linezolid therapy among physicians and ophthalmologists is important, especially in developing countries where infectious disease is still a problem and use of antimicrobials is hardly monitored.

Keywords: adverse effect, case report, linezolid, optic neuropathy