Ozempic lawsuit claims drug caused total vision loss in both eyes

Key Points:

• Todd Engel, a 63-year-old Maryland man, alleges that the weight-loss drug Ozempic caused him to lose vision in both eyes, resulting in legal blindness due to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition damaging the optic nerve from reduced blood flow.
• Engel was prescribed Ozempic for diabetes management in 2023, but was unaware of any potential vision loss risks; his vision deteriorated over 10 months, and he has since filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, claiming the company failed to adequately warn about this side effect.
• Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, alleging insufficient warnings about NAION risks, although a definitive causal link between the drugs and the condition has not been established.
• Engel’s vision loss has severely impacted his life, ending his 40-year career as a heavy equipment operator and affecting daily activities; he now relies on a white cane and family assistance, expressing deep emotional distress over the loss.
• Novo Nordisk denies a causal relationship between semaglutide and NAION, citing clinical trial data and ongoing safety monitoring, and is defending the lawsuits, while Engel’s legal team advocates for clearer warnings on the drug’s labeling to inform patients and doctors.