Weight loss drugs can double risk of eye disease: Study
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Weight loss drugs could double the risk of getting eye diseases, a large-scale study has found.
The weight loss drugs that belong to the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) can increase the risk of getting age-related eye disease.
This eye disease, known as macular degeneration, affects the central vision, primarily impacting older adults with diabetes.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are medicines that help the body lower blood sugar levels. They work like a natural hormone called GLP-1, which tells the body to release insulin after eating.
What are GLP-1 drugs?
These drugs are often used to treat type 2 diabetes and sometimes help with weight loss too.
Academics at the University of Toronto examined medical data from more than 1 million Ontario students with diabetes. Nearly all of them were taking semaglutide, a popular diabetes and weight loss drug.
The study found that those taking semaglutide for at least six months had twice the risk of developing macular degeneration.
As per the study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, diabetic patients who were older and had an even higher risk of developing macular degeneration.
"Based on our data, I would advise exercising particular caution when prescribing GLP-1 RAs to older [diabetic] patients or those with a history of stroke," said Marko Popovic, a co-author of the study.
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