In today’s Health Alert, dozens of Americans have filed lawsuits against the makers of popular GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy over concerns about a rare form of sudden vision loss. Claims say they weren’t adequately warned.
See the report from Dr. Partha Nandi in the video below
NAION stands for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. It happens when the optic nerve doesn’t get enough blood flow. That can cause sudden, painless vision loss. It can look like your eyesight has become blurry or has worsened. This often happens in the lower part of your field of view. Also, colors may look less vivid. Many people first notice the problem when they wake up in the morning or after a nap. But the change can also develop more gradually over a couple of weeks.
The condition generally affects one eye, although about 15% have it affect both. Unfortunately, there is no known specific treatment, and the vision loss can be permanent.
Now, who is most at risk? NAION is most often seen in people over age 50. The average age is about 66. White people tend to have a higher risk, as do people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and people who smoke.
Has NAION been linked to GLP-1 drugs? How often does it happen, and what should people taking these medications do?
In Europe, regulators do classify NAION as a possible rare side effect of GLP-1 drugs. And they say it potentially affects up to about one in 10,000 people taking the medication with diabetes.
Meanwhile in the US, vision issues are a known potential side effect of these drugs. But NAION is not a specific warning for them. The American Academy of Ophthalmology acknowledges that some studies show an increased risk while others don’t, but that “the overall magnitude of the risk of NAION remains low”. Currently, the FDA says it has a review that is ongoing.
As for what to do if you’re taking these medications, first of all, it’s not recommended to stop them on your own. These medications have proven benefits for conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. And importantly, eye issues can happen if conditions like diabetes and obesity are not properly treated.
That said, if you’re concerned, please speak to your doctor about your individual risk. And if you suddenly lose vision, especially if it’s painless and affects one eye, contact a doctor right away and get an eye evaluation.
