However, like most other prescription medications, Ozempic and Wegovy have their fair share of side effects and issues. One of the most publicized and unpleasant is gastroparesis, which has led to some legal action that I wrote about last year. Then in July 2024, a study published by JAMA Ophthalmology indicated a possible link between semaglutide and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic nerve neuropathy. Let’s take a closer look at this study and what it could mean if you or someone you know is taking Ozempic or Wegovy.
What Is Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy?
When this occurs, the cells in the optic nerve don’t receive the oxygen or nutrients necessary for healthy vision. This optic nerve damage can lead to a painless, yet sudden vision loss. With current medical technology, this damage usually can’t be repaired, so any vision loss stemming from optic nerve damage is typically permanent.
What’s the Connection Between Ozempic and NAION?
The authors of the JAMA Ophthalmology study examined more than 16,000 patients over three years. Of this group, 710 had type 2 diabetes and 979 were overweight or obese. The study focused on these two groups and separated them based on whether or not they took a medication with semaglutide.
Among the group with diabetes who received a NAION diagnosis, 8.9% of those took medication with semaglutide, while 1.8% took a different medication for their diabetes.
Among those who were overweight or obese and received a NAION diagnosis, 6.7% took a medication with semaglutide while 0.8% of individuals took different medications.
Does This Study Mean Ozempic or Wegovy Causes NAION?
The study doesn’t conclusively say that semaglutide medications cause NAION, only that there’s a connection between taking semaglutide and NAION. This is an important distinction because of the risk factors for NAION, some of which include:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Sleep apnea
- High blood pressure
It’s important to note that heart disease, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea have known connections to obesity. So it’s not yet clear if semaglutide medications cause NAION or if those who are already at risk for developing NAION are more likely to take a medication containing semaglutide. However, the increased incidence of NAION among those taking a semaglutide medication is troubling.
The study’s authors recognized that diabetes and being overweight didn’t fully explain the increase in risk for NAION. However, they also couldn’t conclude that the semaglutide was the primary reason for the increase in NAION risk. Therefore, the authors recommended further research to study this possible connection.
What Should I Do If I’m Taking Wegovy or Ozempic?
If you’re currently on a medication regimen that includes semaglutide, the American Academy of Ophthalmology does not recommend that you stop taking your semaglutide medication unless you have a loss of vision or your doctor tells you to stop taking that medication. What the American Academy of Ophthalmology does recommend is that you talk to your doctor about whether semaglutide is right for you given your unique health situation.
If you have been diagnosed with NAION or any other health problem you believe might be related to taking semaglutide, such as gastroparesis, you might have some legal options. Feel free to contact me by calling 919.334.6277 (direct line) and I’ll see what I can do to help.
This post was written from online news sources. This post is not legal advice.