“A new study suggests patients taking semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — may be at higher risk of developing an eye condition that can cause blindness.”
That is the first sentence of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) news release issued in response to the Harvard study published on July 3, 2024 in JAMA Ophthalmology:
The eye condition, called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (“NAION”), happens “when blood flow to the optic nerve is blocked, causing sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye,” according to AAO. “NAION usually happens without any warning . . . . There is no cure for NAION.”
AAO and the North American Neuro-Opthalmology Society (NANOS) issued a joint statement about the findings in the Harvard study linking Ozempic/Weogvy to NAOIN.
They stated that although further research is needed, “the careful analysis conducted by the Harvard neuro-ophthalmology research team did identify a potential link between semaglutide treatment and NAION.”
Regarding patients, the recommendation of the AAO and NANOS is: “If you take semaglutide and have a sudden loss of vision, stop taking the drug and see a doctor immediately.”
AAO and NANOS noted that: “While the link to NAION is new, the medical community has been aware of other vision changes with semaglutide for some time. Previous studies have shown that semaglutide can cause blurred vision, worsening of diabetic retinopathy and macular complications.”
About AAO and NANOS: The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons, with a global community of 32,000 medical doctors. NANOS is a professional organization of about 700 members who are fully trained ophthalmologists or neurologists.
To read the full statement by AAO and NANOS, go here.
