AI Image
FDA orders new warning on GLP-1s over rare eye condition linked to sudden blindness
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- The FDA has mandated that all GLP-1 drugmakers add a warning label about a rare eye condition called nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which can cause sudden and permanent blindness.
- NAION affects the optic nerve due to reduced or blocked blood flow, and the FDA identified a potential increased risk of this condition in patients taking GLP-1 drugs such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound.
- The FDA's decision follows a 2024 study showing diabetes patients prescribed semaglutide were four times more likely to develop NAION, alongside adverse event reports and clinical trial data indicating cases across all marketed GLP-1 drugs.
- Risk factors for NAION overlap with conditions common in GLP-1 users, including Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and hypertension, complicating the assessment of direct causality.
- GLP-1 drug labels also include warnings for pancreatitis, gallbladder issues, kidney injury, and carry a black box warning about a possible risk of thyroid tumors, reflecting comprehensive safety concerns.
