FDA Warns GLP-1s May Increase Risk of Sudden Blindness
An anonymous reader quotes a report from NBC News: The Food and Drug Administration said Monday that GLP-1 drugmakers must add a warning label about a rare eye condition that can cause sudden blindness. The condition, called nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, affects the optic nerve, which carries signals from the eye to the brain. When blood flow to the nerve is reduced…
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on Monday that certain GLP-1 drugs may be linked to a heightened risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition that can result in sudden, permanent blindness in one eye. This advisory applies to all currently marketed GLP-1 medications, including Novo Nordisk's Ozempic/Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro/Zepbound, as well as older diabetes drugs.
GLP-1 drugs, which are used to manage diabetes and aid weight loss, are believed to potentially increase the likelihood of NAION, though the exact mechanism remains unknown. Risk factors for NAION overlap with those often seen in individuals taking GLP-1 medications, such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea, and hypertension.
The FDA's decision stems from a 2024 study published in JAMA Ophthalmology, which indicated that diabetes patients prescribed semaglutide were four times more likely to develop NAION than those not on the drug. The agency conducted a thorough review of adverse event reports and analyzed data from clinical trials, finding that cases of NAION have been reported for all currently marketed GLP-1 drugs.
Despite the FDA's inability to determine how the drugs might raise the risk, the agency emphasizes that patients and caregivers should be informed of this potential risk associated with GLP-1 use.
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