Discusses Timing for Increased Risk of Semaglutide-related Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION) Side Effect
(Posted by Tom Lamb at Drug Injury Watch)
On March 27, 2025, the JAMA Ophthalmology medical journal published a report about a recent medical study examining the relatively new drug safety issue of vision loss and blindness due to NAION linked to Ozempic and Rybelsus use by patients with type 2 diabetes. As stated in the Abstract for this article, "Semaglutide and Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Risk Among Patients With Diabetes", the Objective of that medical study was "To investigate the association between semaglutide use and the risk of NAION among patients with diabetes."
Here are earlier Drug Injury Watch articles about vision loss and blindness due to NAION linked to Ozempic and Rybelsus, as well as Wegovy, another semaglutide-containing drug:
- Ozempic Vision Problems From Semaglutide Apply to Wegovy and Rybelsus, Also (2/21/25)
- Novo Nordisk Semaglutide Drug Ozempic Linked to Vision Loss, Doubling the Risk: December 2024 Update (12/18/24)
- Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Ozempic Eye Side Effects: Semaglutide Linked to NAION (7/5/24)
We begin this new article about NAION linked to Ozempic and Rybelsus by presenting this summary from the Conclusions and Relevance part of the Abstract for the recent March 2025 JAMA Ophthalmology medical journal article:
Results of this cohort study suggest that semaglutide use was associated with an increased risk of NAION in patients with diabetes. However, the study’s retrospective design presents limitations, as it can only infer associations rather than establish causality; further studies are needed.
Going deeper into the full-text of this semaglutide-NAION medical study article, we point out the time relationship between Ozempic and Rybelsus use dates by patients with type 2 diabetes and the diagnosis dates for their NAION. From the Results section of that March 2025 JAMA Ophthalmology article, a part titled "Risk of NAION in Terms of Follow-Up Duration After Semaglutide Prescription" sets forth information about this timing aspect:
No increased risk was seen among patients with diabetes who received semaglutide at the 1-month (HR, 2.99; 95% CI, 0.31-28.75), 3-month (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.30-5.93), 6-month (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 0.60-5.35), and 1-year time points (HR, 1.94; 95% CI: 0.93-4.02) after the index date when compared with those receiving non–GLP-1 RA medication. However, among patients with diabetes, an increased risk for NAION was associated with use of semaglutide at the 2-year (HR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.37-4.18), 3-year (HR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.44-4.12), and 4-year (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.26-3.34) time points from the index date compared with use of the non–GLP-1 RA medications (Table 1). Across the entire study duration, there was an increased risk for NAION associated with semaglutide use among patients with diabetes compared with non–GLP-1 RA users (HR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.37-3.60). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis revealed that among patients with diabetes, there was an increased risk for NAION associated with semaglutide use compared with non–GLP-1 RA use at 2-year, 3-year, and 4-year follow-up from the index date (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
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This timing information for the semaglutide-related nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) side effect of Ozempic and Rybelsus use by diabetes patients suggests we may have a still-emerging drug injury lawsuit situation here. In more detail, given the growing blockbuster status of Ozempic and Rybelsus in combination with the apparent delay in onset of vision loss and blindness leading to a NAION diagnosis, it seems we are just at the start of hearing from patients who have suffered this eye-related side effect and who want to obtain legal compensation.
We have been investigating possible drug injury lawsuits for patients who developed vision loss and blindness due to NAION eye-related side effects of Ozempic and Rybelsus, two of three semaglutide-containing drugs from Novo Nordisk. (The other is Wegovy, approved by the FDA as a treatment for adult obesity and used for weight loss.)
Drug injury lawsuits involving Ozempic, Rybelsus, or Wegovy filed for patients with vision loss due to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) would be against Novo Nordisk for its failure to warn about any eye problems, such as vision loss. This is because the current drug labels for Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy do not warn about any eye-related side effects, such as vision loss and blindness due to NAION.
In turn, as the current drug labels lack any safety warnings about an increased risk of eye-related side effects for Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy, these drug injury cases would not be filed against the patients’ prescribing doctors -- or their eye doctors treating the NAION.
Let us know if we can assist you or someone else with an Ozempic, Rybelsus, or Wegovy drug injury case concerning vision loss and blindness due to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). One way to do this is to submit an online Case Evaluation Form.
The Brigham and Women's Hospital website provides basic medical information about non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). People diagnosed with NAION often experience some degree of permanent vision impairment, which can be life-altering.
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