Europe

EU Regulators Find Wegovy, Ozempic Link to Rare Vision Loss

Published JUN 6 2025

Story

Above: The top three injectable prescription weight loss medicines: Ozempic, Victoza, and Wegovy, with a weight scale. Image credit: Michael Siluk/Contributor/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The Facts

The European Medicines Agency's safety committee (PRAC) said on Friday that Novo Nordisk's weight-loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic may cause Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION), a rare eye condition that can lead to vision loss.
European Medicines Agency (EMA)
Bloomberg.com
According to the PRAC, NAION is a very rare side effect of semaglutide — a GLP-1 agonist and the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic — and can potentially affect up to 1 in 10,000 people taking these drugs.
Reuters
Politico
Additionally, the PRAC warned that people with diabetes taking GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic had more than twice the risk of developing NAION compared to those not taking the medications. A separate study published Thursday linked GLP-1 drugs with a doubled risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).
European Medicines Agency (EMA)
STAT
JAMA Network
nAMD causes abnormal blood vessel growth behind the eye that can leak fluid into the retina, leading to permanent vision damage and blindness. In contrast, NAION results from reduced blood flow to the optic nerve and can cause permanent vision loss.
Daily Mail
STAT
Investing
Researchers speculate that eye problems may stem from the presence of GLP-1 receptors in the retina, with the drugs potentially increasing levels of molecules that promote the formation of harmful blood vessels.
Daily Mail
STAT
Bloomberg.com
The PRAC has recommended updating product labels for semaglutide medicines to include NAION as a very rare side effect, advising patients who experience sudden vision loss to contact their doctor immediately and potentially discontinue treatment if the condition is confirmed.
European Medicines Agency (EMA)
Politico
Investing

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

These findings highlight safety signals that demand immediate attention from regulators and prescribers. The doubling of risk for severe eye conditions that can cause permanent blindness cannot be dismissed, even if the absolute numbers appear small. Patients deserve complete transparency about these risks before starting treatment.

Daily Mail

STAT

Narrative B

These medications continue to provide tremendous benefits for diabetes management and weight loss that outweigh the rare potential complications. Regulatory agencies have appropriately classified these as very rare side effects while ensuring proper monitoring protocols are in place.