A study conducted at Mass Eye and Ear Clinic has found a link between widely prescribed weight-loss drugs and a rare but serious eye condition. The work, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, suggests that patients taking semaglutide-based drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are at increased risk of developing a form of blindness caused by a disease of the optic nerve.
The study, led by Dr. Joseph Rizzo, director of the neuro-ophthalmology service at Mass Eye and Ear, focused on non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition that can lead to sudden and irreversible vision loss. Although NAION is relatively rare in the general population, the study findings suggest a significant increase in risk for those prescribed semaglutide.
Researchers analyzed records of more than 16,827 patients treated at Mass Eye and Ear since Ozempic was launched in 2017. The results were striking:
- Patients with diabetes who were prescribed semaglutide were more than four times more likely to be diagnosed with NAION;
- In overweight or obese patients taking the drug, the risk of NAION increased more than sevenfold.
The researchers acknowledge several limitations of their study. Mass Eye and Ear has an unusually high number of rare eye diseases, and the study population was predominantly white. In addition, the total number of NAION cases observed over the six-year period was relatively small.
While the study does not prove cause and effect , it does raise important questions about the potential side effects of these increasingly popular drugs. As semaglutide use continues to grow for both diabetes and weight loss, this study highlights the need for continued vigilance and further study of its long-term effects on eye health. Patients currently taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or other semaglutide-based drugs should not panic and should discuss these findings with their healthcare providers. The benefits of these drugs in treating diabetes and obesity remain significant, but awareness of potential risks is critical to making informed decisions and patient care.