Wegovy users may have 5 times risk of vision loss than those on Ozempic

As the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists for weight loss continues to grow , there has also been a steady increase in research examining GLP-1s and their potential impact on other areas of our health. One such area is eye health.

Previous studies have shown a potential link between GLP-1 use and blurry vision , diabetic retinopathy , age-related macular degeneration (AMD) , and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) , which is a condition that can potentially lead to vision loss. Now, a new study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology reports that Wegovy users may be at the highest risk of developing ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) — an umbrella term for conditions including NAION — when compared to other semaglutide -based GLP-1s.

Researchers also found that this ION risk is almost three times higher in men than in women. For this study, researchers analyzed data from unintentional and harmful side effects associated with medicines submitted to the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between December 2017 and December 2024.