Weight Loss Drugs May Increase Risk Of Permanent Vision Loss, FDA Raises Concern

Weight loss medications are widely used to manage obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, these drugs have come under scrutiny over a possible link with a rare eye condition that can cause sudden and potentially permanent vision loss.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to introduce new safety warnings for certain popular medications, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound. The warning highlights the potential risk of a condition called Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischaemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION), which affects the optic nerve.

Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischaemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION) is a rare eye condition that occurs when the blood supply to the optic nerve is reduced. The optic nerve plays an important role in transmitting visual information from the eyes to the brain.

A reduction in blood flow can damage the optic nerve and lead to sudden vision loss. The condition generally affects one eye and is usually painless. Blind spots or dark areas in the field of vision. Difficulty seeing clearly in the affected eye.

One of the major concerns associated with NAION is that there is currently no established treatment that can restore vision loss caused by the condition. ALSO READ | High Blood Sugar Can Be Deadly: 6 Life-Threatening Complications You Should Know The FDA has asked for updated safety warnings on GLP-1 medications to include information about the potential risk of NAION.

Ozempic: A medication containing semaglutide, primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes. Wegovy: Another semaglutide-based medication prescribed for weight management. Mounjaro: A medication containing tirzepatide, used to manage type 2 diabetes.

Zepbound: A tirzepatide-based medication approved for weight management. Soliqua: A combination medication used to manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. While concerns have been raised about a possible connection between these medicines and NAION, pharmaceutical companies have also highlighted that the available research does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Novo Nordisk has stated that existing research does not prove that GLP-1 medications cause NAION. Eli Lilly has also clarified that the FDA's safety information does not point to a specific conclusion about its medicines.

The FDA began investigating the possible association between GLP-1 medications and NAION following a study published in 2024 in JAMA Ophthalmology. The study reported an increased risk of NAION among patients taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.