Wegovy Vision Side Effects Resulted in Blindness in Left Eye, Lawsuit Alleges

Doctors have informed the plaintiff that the vision loss is permanent and irreversible, and most likely caused by Wegovy side effects.

A product liability lawsuit claims that side effects of the weight loss drug Wegovy caused a rare disorder that led to a Massachusetts man losing vision in his left eye.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by John A. Smith on June 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Novo Nordisk Inc., Wegovy’s creator, is listed as the defendant.

Smith indicates use of the drug led him to develop a condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which damages the optic nerves, leading to vision loss.

GLP-1 Vision Loss Risks

Wegovy (semaglutide) is a popular weight loss injection that originally started out as the diabetes drug Ozempic before being specifically reformulated for those seeking to lose weight. It belongs to a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which also includes Ozempic, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity, Rybelsus, Saxenda and Victoza.

A number of studies published over the last year have contributed to a growing body of scientific evidence linking GLP-1 medications, particularly Wegovy and Ozempic, to an increased risk of NAION. The condition can cause sudden and irreversible vision loss, ranging from blurred vision to total blindness.

As GLP-1 medications have exploded in popularity, a growing number of Wegovy vision loss lawsuits, as well as NAION lawsuits involving similar drugs, have been filed in courts nationwide, each indicating that the manufacturer failed to adequately test Wegovy side effects and warn patients of the potential risks of vision loss.

Wegovy Vision Side Effects Allegations

According to the complaint, Smith was prescribed Wegovy in July 2024 for weight loss after Novo Nordisk promoted the drug as safe, effective and suitable for that purpose.

About a year later, in August 2025, Smith experienced sudden blurred vision in his left eye, the lawsuit states. Doctors were initially unable to determine the cause, but he was eventually diagnosed with NAION in that eye.

Smith was then referred to a specialist who was aware of a potential link between GLP-1 drugs and NAION. The specialist allegedly told Smith that Wegovy may have caused his vision problems and recommended that he stop using the drug as his condition worsened. By that point, however, Smith had already suffered a severe loss of visual acuity in his left eye, which was later determined to be irreversible.

“As a result of Defendant’s actions and inactions, Plaintiff suffers from severe vision loss in his left eye, which impacts his activities of daily living, including his ability to work. He seeks damages associated with these injuries.”

– John Smith v. Novo Nordisk Inc. et al.

The lawsuit argues that because of the lack of adequate label warnings, neither Smith nor his medical providers were aware of Wegovy NAION risks when he was prescribed the medication. This oversight, which Smith indicates was the result of Novo Nordisk placing profits ahead of patient safety, has “forever changed” his life.

Additionally, the complaint indicates the manufacturer continues to downplay the risks of Wegovy NAION, despite the scientific body of evidence, which could lead to more widespread vision problems as the drug is used by a greater amount of the population.

Smith presents claims of failure to warn, design defect, negligent failure to warn, negligence, negligent misrepresentation and marketing, breach of warranty, and violation of Massachusetts General Law for the regulation of business practices for consumer protection. He seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

GLP-1 Vision Loss Lawsuits

Smith’s complaint will be consolidated with dozens of similar GLP-1 vision loss lawsuits centralized in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania before U.S. District Judge Karen Marston, as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL).

Currently directing the litigation through coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings, Judge Marston is expected to schedule a series of bellwether trials to give parties the opportunity to see how juries weigh the strengths and weaknesses of their evidence and testimony. These cases will likely be representative of the litigation as a whole, meaning many of these same factors would be at play in a majority of claims.

However, there are still a number of pretrial motions and legal maneuvers the litigation must go through before those bellwether trials dates can be scheduled.

GLP-1 Stomach Paralysis Lawsuits

Judge Marston is also overseeing thousands of GLP-1 stomach paralysis lawsuits as well, which began to emerge after the medications were linked to severe gastrointestinal side effects, including gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), intestinal obstructions and other complications.

These lawsuits, though handled by the same judge and in the same court, are on a separate MDL track for pretrial proceedings. Much further along than the NAION complaints, GLP-1 stomach paralysis lawsuits will most likely go before a jury long before the other arm of the litigation.

However, if the bellwether trials and pretrial proceedings end without a GLP-1 lawsuit settlement or other resolution, Judge Marston is likely to begin remanding the claims back to their originating districts for individual trial dates.

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