Researchers reviewed reports of side effects from popular medicines for diabetes and obesity submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2017 and 2024.
The analysis was published in the journal British Journal of Ophthalmology.
According to The Guardian, the researchers compared several drugs, including Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus. All three contain the active ingredient semaglutide.
The drug Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide, was also included.
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The data are based on reported side effects submitted by patients and healthcare professionals.
As a result, the study can point to possible links, but it cannot establish that the medicines directly cause the disease.
A rare injury to the optic nerve
The researchers focused in particular on cases of an eye disease called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, abbreviated NAION.
The condition occurs when the blood supply to the optic nerve becomes too low. This can lead to sudden vision loss, which in many cases is permanent.
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According to The Guardian, the researchers estimate that the condition is rare and affects around one in 10,000 people who use semaglutide.
Drug regulators are already monitoring the issue. Earlier this year, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a safety update about a possible risk of NAION among patients using semaglutide.
Results show a difference
The drugs studied contain the same active ingredient, but they are used in different doses and forms.
Wegovy is typically used in higher doses for weight loss, while Ozempic and Rybelsus are mainly used to treat type 2 diabetes.
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According to the analysis in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, there was a clear difference in the reported cases.
Patients using Wegovy had about five times as many reports of NAION as patients using Ozempic.
The researchers also found more cases among men than among women. At the same time, the data did not show an increased occurrence with the use of Rybelsus or Mounjaro.
Sources: The Guardian, and British Journal of Ophthalmology.
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