Does Ozempic cause serious eye problems?

Popular weight-loss shots Ozempic and Wegovy have been linked to an eye condition that can cause blindness, according to a new study.

People with diabetes who take semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic) are four times more likely to be diagnosed with a condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). In fact, overweight or obese people prescribed the drugs are more than seven times as likely to develop the condition as people taking other weight-loss drugs.

People typically suffer from sudden loss of vision in one eye, without any pain, and patients often notice the problem upon waking.

A study at Harvard Medical School, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, shows a possible link between semaglutide and NAION. They examined more than 16,000 patients treated over a six-year period. 8.9 percent of people taking semaglutide received NAION, compared to 1.8 percent of the other drugs.

These findings have not yet been confirmed but should certainly be further investigated. Until then, caution is advised when prescribing these medications.

Source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/article-abstract/2820255

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2024-07-16 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2025