A lawsuit has been filed by a man claiming that the diabetes medication Ozempic has led to his blindness. The drug, which contains semaglutide, is designed to control blood sugar levels and reduce appetite. Initially approved by the FDA for diabetes management, Ozempic has also gained attention as a weight loss solution.
Despite the common side effects associated with any medication, a Maryland resident is alerting Ozempic users about a specific danger he believes Novo Nordisk, the drug’s manufacturer, has not adequately communicated.
In 2023, Todd Engel began using the GLP-1 agonist to help manage his type 2 diabetes. Engel’s lawyer, Jonathan Orent of the Motley Rice litigation firm, stated that Engel first started losing vision in one eye and eventually became legally blind in both.
This condition has significantly altered Engel’s interactions with his family, and he has been forced to leave his job and can no longer drive, according to Orent. After using the medication for four months, Engel was diagnosed with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).
Brigham and Women’s Hospital describes NAION as “sudden, painless vision loss in one eye due to a lack of blood flow to the optic nerve.” In the U.S., approximately 6,000 new cases of NAION are reported annually. While diabetes itself is a known risk factor for NAION, some studies have indicated that semaglutide might increase this risk.
A study in 2024 identified that individuals with diabetes who took semaglutide were over four times more likely to develop NAION compared to those not on the medication. Engel’s lawsuit, filed on April 24 in New Jersey’s Superior Court, alleges that Novo Nordisk was negligent and failed to warn patients and doctors about possible severe eye conditions, as reported by NBC News.
The lawsuit also claims that Novo Nordisk had access to early clinical trial data highlighting NAION cases but chose not to include this condition on Ozempic’s warning label. Engel’s lawyer, Orent, mentioned that had Engel been aware of the potential blindness risk, he would have explored alternative treatments.
In response, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk stated to UNILAD, “NAION is a very rare eye disease, and it is not a recognized adverse drug reaction for the marketed formulations of semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy) as per the approved labels.”
They added that after a comprehensive evaluation, including studies from the University of Southern Denmark and their own safety assessments, Novo Nordisk believes that the benefit-risk profile of semaglutide has not changed. Their analysis of clinical trials, which included an ophthalmologist review, did not find a direct link between GLP-1 receptor agonists and NAION events.
Novo Nordisk emphasized, “Patient safety is a top priority for Novo Nordisk, and we take all reports about adverse events from use of our medicines very seriously.” They pointed out that eye conditions are known comorbidities for those living with diabetes, and any treatment decision should be made in consultation with a healthcare professional who can assess the benefits and risks involved.