Wegovy linked to rare “eye stroke” that can cause sudden blindness

Key Points:

• Researchers found that the obesity drug Wegovy, a semaglutide-based GLP-1 medication, showed the strongest association with ischemic optic neuropathy (ION), a rare condition causing sudden partial or complete blindness, with a risk signal nearly five times stronger than Ozempic.
• The study analyzed over 30.6 million adverse event reports from the FDA database, focusing on semaglutide drugs, and found 28 ION reports linked to Wegovy and 47 to Ozempic, with men on Wegovy showing the highest risk signal.
• Possible explanations for Wegovy's stronger association include its higher dose and faster-acting injectable form, which may affect blood flow to the optic nerve, though no direct causal link has been established.
• Researchers emphasized the need for urgent prospective studies to clarify the dose-dependent risk and guide prescribing policies, especially as GLP-1 drug use expands globally for obesity and other conditions.
• Experts also highlighted concerns about increasing use of these medications in children and the importance of balancing potential eye benefits against rare but serious complications like ION.