Ozempic Vision Risks Could Also Include Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Study

Multiple studies in recent months have raised concerns over vision loss side effects related to the popular diabetes and weight loss medications.

The findings of a new study add to growing concerns about the potential vision-related side effects of Ozempic and Wegovy, indicating that the drugs may increase the rate at which vision can deteriorate with age.

Ozempic (semaglutide) is approved to treat type 2 diabetes and belongs to a newer class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Since its approval in 2017, the drug’s weight loss benefits have led to the development of related treatments, including Wegovy, a version approved specifically for obesity, and Zepbound, a similar medication from Eli Lilly, based on that company’s GLP-1 diabetes drug, Mounjaro.

Ozempic Vision Problems

While recent months have seen Ozempic concerns centered on reports of gastrointestinal problems, such as stomach paralysis and intestinal obstructions, there have also been increasing signals that Ozempic and Wegovy side effects may also cause vision problems.

Concerns about the potential Ozempic vision risks first emerged in early July 2024, when a study by Harvard researchers found that patients using semaglutide may face a seven fold increased risk for experiencing sudden vision changes, blurred sight, blindness or other symptoms linked to a rare condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), where the optic nerve suffers from insufficient blood flow.

These findings appeared to be confirmed by a study published in medRxiv in January, which led the Danish Medicines Agency to issue a press release days later, announcing that it is officially requesting an investigation into Ozempic NAION risks by the European Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC).

However, Canadian researchers published new findings in JAMA Ophthalmology on June 5, which suggest using Ozempic and Wegovy could also increase the risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), a condition where the center field of vision begins to deteriorate.

The research team was led by the University of Toronto’s Dr. Reut Shor of the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences. They conducted a retrospective study using data from January 2020 through November 2023, involving nearly 140,000 matched patients with a mean age of 66.

According to their findings, the rate of nAMD was doubled among those who were injected with semaglutide when compared with those who were not. However, the researchers noted that the risks were still small, with a rate of 0.2% among Ozempic and Wegovy users, compared to 0.1% among those who did not take the medications.

“In this cohort study, the use of GLP-1 RAs among patients with diabetes was associated with a 2-fold higher risk of incident nAMD development than among similar patients with diabetes who did not receive a GLP-1 RA. Further research is needed to elucidate the exact pathophysiological mechanisms involved and to understand the trade-offs between the benefits and risks of GLP-1 RAs.”

–Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Risk of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Ozempic and Wegovy Gastrointestinal Lawsuits

Although Ozempic vision problems have garnered increasing attention in recent months, most of the focus on GLP-1 safety signals have involved their gastrointestinal side effects, with thousands of Ozempic lawsuits, Wegovy lawsuits and Mounjaro lawsuits filed by plaintiffs presenting similar allegations that users were left with painful and debilitating stomach problems, including a form of stomach paralysis known as gastroparesis.

Given common questions of fact and law raised in gastroparesis lawsuits filed on behalf of users of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Victoza and Trulicity, a federal Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) has been established before U.S. District Judge Karen S. Marston in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Judge Marston is presiding over coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings to prepare a small group of cases for early trial dates. 

However, before scheduling the first bellwether trials, the judge has tasked the parties with addressing a number of “cross-cutting” issues, including whether claims are preempted by federal law, whether plaintiffs are required to present specific diagnostic testing evidence to substantiate their injuries, and whether there is sufficient general causation evidence linking Ozempic and the gastrointestinal injuries.

While the outcomes of these early test cases will not be binding on other claims, they will be closely watched and may help the parties negotiate GLP-1 settlements to resolve large numbers of lawsuits in the future.

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