Consuming Ozempic and Wegovy might cause vision loss, says FDA
What's the story
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about the risk of permanent vision loss associated with popular weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy. The warning will be added to all GLP-1 medications, a class of blockbuster drugs used to treat obesity, diabetes, and other medical conditions. The eye condition in question is known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).
Condition details
NAION is a rare but serious eye condition
NAION is a rare but serious eye condition that can lead to severe vision loss. It occurs due to reduced blood flow to the optic nerve.
Although all GLP-1 drugs have been linked with this issue, the exact cause remains unknown.
The FDA started investigating after a 2024 medical paper associated the condition with certain patients on semaglutide, the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's Ozempic.
Risk assessment
Risk of NAION was about 6 per 100,000 patients
The FDA's analysis of over 125 clinical trials found that the risk of NAION was about six per 100,000 patients taking a GLP-1 drug for at least a year.
This is higher than the rate seen in those on placebo or other glucose-lowering drugs, which was less than four per 100,000.
The agency also found reports of this issue in its electronic database for drug injuries and side effects.
Patient guidance
Symptoms include blurred vision, blind spots, distorted colors
Symptoms of NAION include blurred vision, blind spots, distorted colors, and other visual disturbances.
The FDA has advised patients experiencing these symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.
This warning comes as a precautionary measure for all GLP-1 receptor agonists after reports of this issue with every product currently on the market.