Latest news with #NAION
Medscape
18-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Blind Spots: Comparing the Vision Costs of Weight-Loss Drugs
While reviewing patient cases with residents one morning, Joseph F. Rizzo III, MD, mentioned he recently cared for a patient who had taken semaglutide and developed severe optic neuropathy. One resident reported that she had just seen a patient in the emergency room with a similar history, presenting with the same eye condition. A week later, Rizzo saw yet another one of these patients. 'It seemed improbable that it would just be a coincidence,' Rizzo, director of Neuro-Ophthalmology Service at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School in Boston, told Medscape Medical News . Eventually, Rizzo and several residents published research of patients at the clinic. It was the first study to show an association between the use of semaglutide and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Weight-loss drugs are known to affect vision in a small subset of patients. Labeling for GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide and tirzepatide include warnings about the increased risk for diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. The label for the combination of phentermine and topiramate warns of a risk for acute myopia and secondary angle-closure glaucoma, and the label for the combination of naltrexone and bupropion lists the risk for angle-closure glaucoma. But which drug carries the lowest risk for vision complications remains a tricky question. 'Nobody has really done any true head-to-head comparisons of' the weight-loss drugs, said Mollie Cecil, MD, a spokesperson for the Obesity Medicine Association. All weight-loss drugs have the potential to change the shape of the eye lens, which can cause transient blurring of vision. They also can worsen diabetic retinopathy due to a dramatic drop in blood sugar and increase the risk for blindness from NAION, said Rahul N. Khurana, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an ophthalmologist at Northern California Retina Vitreous Associates in Mountain View, California. 'I don't think we have enough data to say one drug is safer than the other,' he said. A Shifting Vision of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Rizzo and his colleagues' study published in JAMA Ophthalmology in July 2024 included nearly 2000 patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity. Those who took semaglutide had a four to seven times higher risk for NAION than those who did not take GLP-1 receptor agonists. Rizzo said one limitation of the study was selection bias because patients were cared for at an eye hospital staffed by neuro-ophthalmologists, which was more likely to have patients with NAION. His team recently finished a nationwide study analyzing data on the same subject that has not yet been published, he said. Numerous studies published since then have shown conflicting results, including a lower or higher risk for NAION than that reported in Rizzo's research or no increase in risk. After Rizzo's study was published, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and other groups said further research was necessary to definitively say whether the drug causes NAION. The groups did not recommend that patients stop taking semaglutide unless they had a sudden loss of vision. The use of GLP-1 receptor agonists has also been associated with other vision problems. A recent study found patients with diabetes taking these drugs had a twofold higher risk for neovascular age-related macular degeneration than a matched cohort of patients who did not take a GLP-1 receptor agonist. But the newer class of drugs may be safer for other patients, such as those who have obesity and do not have diabetes. A retrospective cohort study published earlier this year in Ophthalmology found the risk for primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension was significantly lower in this population of patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists than in those taking other weight-loss medications, such as the combination of phentermine and topiramate. 'I don't really think any of these are better for vision, although there is evidence that GLP-1 agents may be protective against glaucoma,' said Angelo Tanna, MD, vice chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. Older Drug, New Insights Approved by the FDA in 1959 for the treatment of obesity, phentermine is the most commonly prescribed weight-loss drug in the US, according to a study published in January in JAMA Open Network . Katherine Talcott, MD, a vitreoretinal surgeon at the Cole Eye Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, said some data suggest GLP-1 receptor agonists can worsen diabetic retinopathy. She and her colleagues had not seen a study on the effect of phentermine having the same effect, so they set out to do so in patients with overweight and obesity. Their study found phentermine was associated with a decreased future risk for a new diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy or the need for intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. 'It's great that there's an additive protective effect by being on the medicine,' she said. However, phentermine is also associated with blurred vision and serious ocular side effects, with case reports of branch retinal artery occlusion, acute myopia and acute angle closure, and NAION. Topiramate and Angle Closure Tanna at Northwestern University said ocular adverse events associated with weight-loss drugs are rare but can have devastating consequences. Tanna co-authored a 2015 case report in the Journal of Glaucoma of bilateral angle closure in a woman who took the combination of phentermine and topiramate. He said he has seen a handful of cases of this rare reaction in patients taking topiramate, but this was the only case in which the drug was being used for weight loss. A study analyzing the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database found that topiramate was 30% more likely to be associated with reports of vision impairment than semaglutide. Vision impairment included optic ischemic neuropathy, blindness, and reduced visual acuity. Another study, published last year in Ophthalmology Glaucoma , identified topiramate with the most reports of angle-closure glaucoma in the FAERS database over a 20-years period. A case report in 2014 also documented bilateral angle-closure glaucoma induced by topiramate several days after initiation of the drug. The combination of naltrexone and bupropion for weight loss also has been associated with this adverse event, along with bupropion alone for depression. Choosing a Drug Cecil said she considers several factors when deciding which weight-loss drug to prescribe, including a patient's preexisting eye health. 'If you have somebody who has not yet developed peripheral vascular disease or diabetes, without compelling evidence I think that all weight-loss drugs would have about the same safety,' she said. But insurance coverage and affordability are often the biggest drivers of her decisions. 'If I didn't have to worry about insurance, I really would lean on the GLP-1s for most patients because they are safe, they are effective, and we are discovering more and more secondary benefits to them all the time, including decrease in cardiovascular disease,' Cecil said. Rizzo said he does not discourage patients from taking semaglutide. But he urges caution for patients who have already lost vision for any reason. 'They have to make their own informed decision about whether they might be willing to accept what we believe is an increased risk,' he said. Cecil noted that for patients with complicated chronic diseases, clinicians must be careful not to blame a drug when a patient develops an eye condition that may be related to their disease state. 'That's one of the reasons why in obesity medicine, we talk so much about how important it is to really, truly have an individualized treatment plan,' she said. Rizzo reported being a consultant for Life Biosciences, machineMD, and Viridian Therapeutics. Tanna reported being a consultant for Alcon, Ivantis, and Zeiss. Other sources reported having no relevant financial conflicts of interest.
CNBC
11-06-2025
- Health
- CNBC
Healthy Returns: Ozempic, Wegovy linked to rare cases of serious eye condition
Novo Nordisk's blockbuster weight loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic are once again being linked to unintended side effects. The weekly injections may, in very rare cases, cause a serious eye condition that can lead to vision loss, the European Medicines Agency's safety committee said Friday. It's the first time a regulator has confirmed the side effect following previous studies in Type 2 diabetes patients linking Ozempic to the condition, known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). The committee has asked Novo Nordisk to add the eye condition as a side effect of "very rare" frequency in the product information for drugs that contain semaglutide. That's the active ingredient in Wegovy, Ozempic and Novo Nordisk's diabetes pill Rybelsus. It's the latest potential concern about popular GLP-1s such as Ozempic and Wegovy, which mimic gut hormones to regulate blood sugar and tamp down appetite. Demand for the drug class has soared despite hefty price tags and a handful of unpleasant side effects that are most commonly gastrointestinal, such as nausea and vomiting. It likely won't be a big concern for the vast majority of patients: the eye condition may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people taking semaglutide for at least one year, according to the committee. The committee said people with diabetes who are exposed to semaglutide are at a twofold increase in the risk of developing NAION compared with those not taking it. The eye condition is the second-most common cause of blindness due to optic nerve damage, after glaucoma. It is characterized by vision loss due to decreased blood flow to the front part of the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. The disease typically occurs without any pain and most commonly affects people ages 50 and above. The committee said patients should stop treatment with semaglutide products if they experience the side effect. Since December, it has been reviewing the findings of two Danish studies linking Ozempic to the condition in diabetes patients. In a statement, Novo Nordisk said it has concluded that the data "did not suggest a reasonable possibility of a causal relationship between semaglutide and NAION." The company said the benefits of semaglutide still outweigh its risks. But the drugmaker said it will collaborate with the EMA to update the labels for semaglutide products. A day before the committee's statement, GLP-1s faced scrutiny over another potential eye-related side effect. A study, published Thursday in JAMA Ophthalmology and conducted by University of Toronto researchers, found that diabetes patients who use GLP-1 drugs were twice as likely to develop neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) compared to those who don't take the medications. The study also found that the longer patients were treated with these medications, the greater their risk of developing nAMD. nAMD, commonly known as "wet" AMD, is the less common but more aggressive form of age-related macular degeneration. It is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults in the U.S. The researchers drew on health records from Ontario, Canada. They analyzed nearly 140,000 adults with Type 2 diabetes to investigate a possible link between GLP-1 use and wet AMD. In the vast majority of cases, patients received semaglutide. Novo Nordisk said semaglutide's "efficacy and safety have been extensively demonstrated in people with obesity/overweight with robust evidence for improving health outcomes." Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Annika at The 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 list is here, and a number of health tech startups including Transcarent, Abridge and Rad AI made the cut this year. The Disruptor 50 designation is a ranked list of innovative private companies that are advancing breakthrough technology within their sector. Any private, independently owned startups that were founded after Jan. 1, 2010 were able to be nominated. Nominated companies had to submit qualitative information, like descriptions of their core business model, which were assessed by a team of CNBC editorial staff. They also had to submit quantitative data, like sales and user numbers, which were evaluated by CNBC's Disruptor 50 Advisory Board and Disruptor 50 VC Advisory Board. Here are the health tech companies that earned a spot this year: Perhaps unsurprisingly, some of the major players in AI took the top five spots on this year's list. Anduril, an autonomous defense company, earned the first spot, followed by OpenAI, Databricks, Anthropic and the design platform Canva. Taken together, these five companies have a combined valuation of just under $500 billion, which is more than the combined total valuation of almost every past Disruptor 50 list of the last 12 years. A sign of the times, no doubt. Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Ashley at
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Eye stroke alert: Ozempic linked to rare vision-loss condition
If you're on Ozempic or Wegovy to manage type 2 diabetes—or to shed some pounds—there's something new you should have on your radar. Doctors are now flagging a rare but serious eye condition that might be tied to these meds. And yes, it could mess with your vision in a big way. The condition is called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION for short. But you'll often hear it described more simply as an 'eye stroke.' It happens when the blood supply to your optic nerve suddenly drops, damaging the nerve and causing vision loss—usually in just one eye, and often without warning. Now here's the thing: the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has officially listed NAION as a very rare side effect of semaglutide—the active ingredient in both Ozempic and Wegovy. According to their findings, it affects roughly 1 in 10,000 people. Not exactly common, but not zero either. And some researchers believe people with existing health conditions like type 2 diabetes might face a slightly higher risk. So why does this happen? The exact reason isn't fully nailed down yet, but it's believed that rapid changes in blood sugar (which these medications are known to cause) may play a role. Basically, your optic nerve needs consistent blood flow, and when that gets thrown off—bam, you could end up with NAION. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sanitize & Smooth Clothes Fast with Philips Steamer Philips Garment Steamers Shop Now Undo Here's what to watch out for: Sudden loss of vision in one eye Blurry or dim vision A dark patch or 'hole' in your central vision If any of that sounds familiar—or happens out of nowhere—don't wait it out. Get medical help immediately. Catching it early could make a difference in protecting your sight. So, should you freak out? Not necessarily. The odds are still pretty low, and Ozempic/Wegovy are helping a lot of people manage serious health issues. But if you're already at risk—especially if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea—it's worth talking to your doctor. Ask about the pros and cons. Don't panic, just be informed. Your eyes are too important to take chances with. If something feels off, trust your gut and get it checked. It's your vision—we're talking about seeing the world clearly, literally. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Roya News
07-06-2025
- Health
- Roya News
Ozempic, Wegovy linked to rare vision-loss disorder, EU regulator warns
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Friday that Novo Nordisk's popular drugs Ozempic and Wegovy may, in very rare cases, cause a serious eye disorder that can lead to vision loss. Following a months-long safety review, the EMA's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee concluded that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, is associated with rare occurrences of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition caused by reduced blood flow to the optic nerve. The disorder is the second-most common cause of blindness due to optic nerve damage, after glaucoma. The EMA said NAION could affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients taking semaglutide and that the risk of developing the condition is roughly double that of individuals not using the medication. The EMA began investigating the link between semaglutide and NAION in December 2023 after earlier studies signaled a possible connection. One large observational study involving nearly 350,000 type 2 diabetes patients showed that long-term semaglutide use more than doubled the risk of developing NAION compared to those on alternative treatments. This marks the first time a regulatory body has formally acknowledged the connection, though academic research had previously pointed to the risk. Semaglutide is part of a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which regulate blood sugar and promote a feeling of fullness, making them widely prescribed for both diabetes management and weight loss. The EMA has recommended that Novo Nordisk update prescribing information for all semaglutide-containing products to include NAION as a potential side effect, categorized as 'very rare.'
Russia Today
07-06-2025
- Health
- Russia Today
Popular weight loss drug could cause sudden blindness – EU's health watchdog
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has concluded that semaglutide-based medications – including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus – increase the risk of a serious eye condition that can lead to sudden vision loss. Following a comprehensive safety review, the EMA's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) determined that non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) should be listed as a 'very rare' side effect of semaglutide – the main component of weight-loss and anti-diabetic drugs produced by Novo Nordisk. The EMA's review, initiated in January 2025, analyzed data from clinical trials, post-marketing surveillance, and medical literature. Findings suggest that adults with type 2 diabetes taking semaglutide have approximately twice the risk of developing NAION compared to those not on the medication. On Friday, the EU's health watchdog recommended updating the product information for semaglutide-containing medicines to include NAION as a potential side effect. The 'very rare' classification indicates that the condition may affect up to 1 in 10,000 users. NAION is the second most common cause of optic nerve-related blindness after glaucoma. Patients experiencing sudden vision loss or rapidly worsening eyesight while on semaglutide are advised to seek immediate medical attention and discontinue use if NAION is diagnosed. The Denmark-based company Novo Nordisk owns the patent on semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist used for managing type 2 diabetes and obesity. It functions by enhancing insulin secretion and promoting a feeling of fullness, thereby aiding in blood sugar control and weight management. A recent study also indicated that Ozempic and similar medications may increase the risk of kidney cancer. However, the drugs reportedly lower the risk of more than a dozen other cancers, suggesting their overall benefit may still outweigh the hazards. Additionally, the EMA previously investigated reports of suicidal thoughts associated with semaglutide use, though no definitive causal relationship was established. The EMA's recommendations will now be reviewed by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) before a final decision is adopted by the European Commission. Novo Nordisk, which was dethroned as Europe's most valuable company earlier this year, has stated its commitment to patient safety and is working with the EMA to update product labels accordingly.
