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GLP-1 drugs face hundreds of lawsuits over rare ‘eye stroke’ linked to vision loss
New York Post • • business
Key Points:
- Hundreds of consumers are suing manufacturers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, alleging their GLP-1 receptor agonist medications may increase the risk of NAION, a rare eye condition causing sudden vision loss.
- NAION involves reduced blood flow to the optic nerve and is the leading cause of acute optic nerve injury in adults over 50, with no available treatment to reverse vision loss.
- Research, mainly on semaglutide, suggests a modest increase in NAION risk, though studies are observational and cannot confirm causation; the FDA is reviewing the evidence but has not issued safety warnings.
- The European Medicines Agency has recommended labeling NAION as a very rare adverse reaction to semaglutide, while experts emphasize that underlying risk factors like diabetes complicate attributing risk solely to the medication.
- Physicians advise patients not to stop GLP-1 drugs without consulting healthcare providers, noting that benefits may outweigh risks except in cases where patients have a "disc at risk," indicating vulnerability to optic nerve damage.
