Ozempic may be linked to condition that causes blindness, but more research is needed
People taking Ozempic and Wegovy may be at increased risk of developing a debilitating eye condition that can cause irreversible vision loss, a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology finds.
People taking Ozempic and Wegovy may be at increased risk of developing a debilitating eye condition that can cause irreversible vision loss, a study published Wednesday in JAMA Ophthalmology finds. The authors stressed, however, that more studies are needed to confirm a link between the blockbuster drugs and vision problems.
Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, is a condition that affects the optic nerve, a bundle of fibers that connects to the back of the eye and carries signals to the brain so a person can see. In people with NAION, blood flow to the optic nerve gets reduced or blocked, leading to sudden vision loss.
“It is, in effect, a stroke of the optic nerve,” said senior study author Dr. Joseph Rizzo, the director of neuro-ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston.
NAION is the second most common optic nerve disease in the U.S., occurring in up to 10 out of 100,000 people, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and it’s one of the most common causes of sudden blindness. The condition is permanent with no known treatment.
The new study was based on an analysis of medical records spanning six years from more than 16,800 patients in the Boston area, none of whom were initially diagnosed with NAION.
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