The condition in question is non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) – a condition in which the blood supply to the optic nerve is disrupted. It causes sudden, painless vision loss in one eye and can lead to irreversible blindness, reports The Guardian. There is currently no effective treatment capable of restoring lost vision.
What the study revealed
The FDA began a risk assessment following the publication of a study in 2024 in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology. A further analysis of 126 clinical trials, involving more than 134,200 patients, identified 15 probable cases of NAION. Ten of these were in patients taking GLP-1 agonists, whilst a further five were in participants receiving a placebo.
According to the FDA’s calculations, the condition occurred approximately 1.7 times more frequently among patients taking these medicines than in the control groups. The regulator emphasises that the data do not yet prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship, but do indicate a potential increase in risk.
Risk factors for NAION include diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol. People over the age of 50 are most at risk.
Novo Nordisk told The Guardian that the available data do not establish a causal link between the company’s medicines and the condition. The manufacturer emphasised that it remains confident in the favourable benefit-risk profile of its medicines.
This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.
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