Semaglutide (aka OZEMPIC) is associated with non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy among patients with type 2 diabetes and those with overweight or obesity, according to a US study in JAMA Ophthalmology.
This condition typically causes sudden vision loss in the affected eye, without any pain.
Harvard University-led researchers examined the potential association between semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and the risk for non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in a retrospective matched cohort study.
Lead researcher Dr Joseph Rizzo said that the findings “should be viewed as being significant but tentative” pending further investigations.
“This is information we did not have before and it should be included in discussions between patients and their doctors, especially if patients have other known optic nerve problems like glaucoma or if there is preexisting significant visual loss from other causes,” he said.
