Wegovy Shows 75-Fold Eye-Stroke Signal, Nearly 5 Times Stronger Than Ozempic
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · May 24
Wegovy Shows 75-Fold Eye-Stroke Signal, Nearly 5 Times Stronger Than Ozempic
1 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · May 24
A BMJ-published analysis of 30.6 million FDA adverse-event reports found Wegovy had the strongest link among semaglutide drugs to ischemic optic neuropathy, a rare "eye stroke" that can cause sudden blindness.
Wegovy generated 28 ION reports versus 47 for Ozempic, but its disproportionality signal was far higher—about 75 times expected levels, compared with roughly 19 for Ozempic and 21 for generic semaglutide.
Men on Wegovy showed the highest signal overall at 116 times expected levels, while no ION cases were reported for oral semaglutide tablet Rybelsus in the database reviewed.
Researchers said Wegovy's higher dose and injectable formulation may raise optic-nerve blood-flow risk, but stressed the FDA reporting system cannot prove causation and may be influenced by reporting bias.
The authors called for urgent prospective studies as GLP-1 use expands beyond diabetes and obesity, with wider prescribing potentially increasing the number of rare but serious eye complications.
Is Wegovy's weight-loss benefit worth the newly revealed risk of sudden blindness?
Why is Wegovy linked to 'eye strokes' while a nearly identical diabetes drug is not?
With millions taking GLP-1s, are we overlooking severe risks in the rush for weight loss?
Rare Vision Loss Risk with Wegovy and Ozempic: New Data on Ischemic Optic Neuropathy and GLP-1 Agonists
Overview
Recent findings show that semaglutide-based medications like Wegovy are linked to a rare but serious risk of Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (ION), raising important safety concerns as their use grows worldwide. Regulatory agencies, including the European Medicines Agency and the UK government, have recognized non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) as a very rare side effect, with up to 1 in 10,000 people potentially affected. Analysis of adverse event reports has identified specific cases of ION in patients using Wegovy and Ozempic, highlighting the need for increased awareness, careful patient selection, and prompt action if vision changes occur.