Weight-Loss Drug Linked to Rare Eye Condition
New study discovers a connection between a weight-loss drug and a rare eye condition.
A study suggests that individuals prescribed semaglutide, marketed as (Ozempic) and (Wegovy), for weight loss might face an increased risk of developing a rare but serious eye condition.
US researchers analyzed 17,000 patients over six years and discovered that those taking semaglutide for type 2 diabetes were four times more likely to be diagnosed with this eye condition compared to patients not on the drug. For those using semaglutide for obesity, the risk was seven times higher.
However, the researchers cannot definitively prove that semaglutide caused the eye condition or explain why the risk is higher or varies between the groups. The number of affected individuals was relatively small.
Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of the drug, described the study as highlighting the unpredictable nature of underlying type 2 diabetes, emphasizing that patient safety is a priority but acknowledging the need for more research due to the study’s limitations.
Clinical trials indicate that semaglutide can help people lose more than 10% of their body weight if they also make changes to their diet and lifestyle. The drug has garnered significant attention on social media, with many celebrities posting about their rapid Weight- loss while using it.
Despite semaglutide being available by prescription only to people with type 2 diabetes (Ozempic) and those with extreme obesity (Wegovy), online pharmacies have been selling semaglutide injections with minimal checks on the buyer’s weight or underlying health conditions.
As a result, health authorities are concerned that the drug is being misused as a “quick fix” for people looking to get “beach-body ready.”
All medications come with potential side effects, and semaglutide is no exception. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. Both Ozempic and Wegovy list vision changes as one of the more serious potential side effects.
According to researchers from Harvard Medical School, who published their findings in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology, non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) affects up to 10 out of every 100,000 people in the general population. This condition, caused by reduced blood flow to the optic nerve, currently has no treatment.
The study’s findings revealed:
17 cases of the eye condition among type 2 diabetes patients taking semaglutide
6 cases among type 2 diabetes patients taking other medications
20 cases among overweight and obese patients taking semaglutide
3 cases among overweight and obese patients taking a different drug
Harvard Medical School ophthalmology professor Dr. Joseph Rizzo emphasized that these findings should be considered significant but tentative, with future studies needed to explore these questions in a larger and more diverse population.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists in the UK recommends that patients taking semaglutide be informed of the small risk of developing eye diseases.
Due to the small number of patients affected by the eye condition in the study, who may not have been taking their medication as prescribed or might not be representative of the wider population, the risk statistics might not be entirely accurate. Novo Nordisk pointed out that the study did not account for whether patients smoked or the duration of their diabetes.
There were also challenges in accurately coding and identifying cases of the eye condition. A spokesperson stated that NAION is not listed as a known adverse drug reaction for marketed formulations of semaglutide, including Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. Semaglutide has been studied extensively in large real-world evidence programs and robust clinical development programs.
The drug is also being examined in a trial called Focus, which is set to conclude in 2027, to assess its long-term effects on diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition in type 2 diabetes patients.
Honorary professor of physiology at Queen’s University Belfast, Graham McGeown, commented that given the rapid increase in semaglutide use and its potential licensing for various conditions beyond obesity and type 2 diabetes, this issue warrants further study. However, he also noted that possible drug side effects always need to be balanced against likely benefits.