Wegovy linked to higher risk of eye stroke and vision loss

Wegovy, a GLP-1 agonist for weight loss, may carry the highest risk of ‘eye stroke’ (ischemic optic neuropathy) and sudden sight loss of the semaglutide drugs, finds an analysis of unintended side effect reports published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

The risk is almost 5 times higher with Wegovy than it is with Ozempic, and 3 times greater in men than it is in women, the analysis indicates.

Ischemic optic neuropathy, or ION for short, is caused by inadequate/interrupted blood flow to the optic nerve, resulting in sudden vision loss in one or both eyes.

Although rare, ION has recently been linked to GLP-1 receptor agonists, particularly semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, and variously used to treat obesity, diabetes, and to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, explain the researchers.

To pinpoint whether the risks of ION might be associated with particular drugs, the researchers analyzed alerts of unintentional and harmful side effects associated with medicines submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between December 2017 and December 2024.

The researchers focused on ION associated with up to 2 mg of weekly injectable Ozempic for type 2 diabetes; up to 2.4 mg of weekly injectable Wegovy for obesity-the highest approved dose–and a daily tablet of Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes.

They also included a once-weekly injection of tirzepatide, a dual GLP-1/GIP agonist for the treatment of obesity and diabetes, which was analysed as a combined category and by indication: Mounjaro (for type 2 diabetes); Zepbound (for obesity).

Source: News Medical Life Sciences

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