Maryland man claims he went blind after taking Ozempic, shares warning for other users

Key Points:

• Todd Engel, a 63-year-old Maryland man, alleges that the weight-loss drug Ozempic caused him to become legally blind due to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition that damages the optic nerve and leads to sudden vision loss.
• Engel was prescribed Ozempic in 2023 for diabetes management and experienced vision loss in one eye after four months, followed by total vision loss about 10 months later; he has since filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, claiming inadequate warnings about vision loss risks.
• Hundreds of patients are pursuing similar legal actions against manufacturers of GLP-1 drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, alleging that these medications may cause NAION, though a definitive causal link has not been established.
• Engel’s vision loss has profoundly impacted his personal and professional life, forcing him to rely on family for daily activities and ending his 40-year career as a heavy equipment operator and truck driver.
• Novo Nordisk denies a causal link between semaglutide and NAION, citing clinical trial data showing no increased incidence, and continues to monitor safety while defending the lawsuits as without merit.