Ozempic: Linked to Condition That Causes Blindness, But More Research Is Needed

According to a study published on Wednesday in JAMA Ophthalmology, people taking Wegovy and Ozempic may be more susceptible to a crippling eye disease that could result in irreversible vision loss. The authors did emphasize that additional research is necessary to verify a connection between the popular medications and visual issues.

The disorder known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, affects the optic nerve, a network of fibers that connects to the rear of the eye and sends signals to the brain that enable vision. Sudden loss of vision occurs when there is a reduction or blockage of blood flow to the optic nerve in individuals with NAION.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, NAION is the second most common optic nerve disease in the United States, affecting up to 10 out of every 100,000 individuals. It is also one of the most common causes of sudden blindness. There is no known cure for the condition, which is permanent.

Based on a six-year review of medical records from over 16,800 patients in the Boston area, none of them had an NAION diagnosis at the outset, the new study was conducted.

About 1,700 of those patients had diabetes, were overweight, or were obese. The researchers concentrated on this subset of patients and compared the results between the groups that received and did not receive semaglutide after a 36-month period. Ozempic and Wegovy contain the ingredient semaglutide. Semaglutide was prescribed to nearly 200 diabetes patients, and 17 of them went on to develop NAION—a rate that was more than four times higher than that of patients who did not receive the medication. Twenty of the 361 individuals in the obesity group—or seven times higher—developed the condition after receiving a prescription for semaglutide.

Individuals diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes already have a higher chance of developing visual issues, such as NAION. High blood sugar damages the retina, which is the primary cause of blindness in adults and another vision issue known as diabetic retinopathy.

Furthermore, hypertension and sleep apnea—diseases that are more common in obese individuals—are risk factors for NAION.