Are you taking Ozempic or Wegovy? FDA warns of risk of optic nerve damage and vision loss

Popular weight-loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, will carry a new warning about a potential side effect that can cause permanent vision loss, U.S. health regulators announced Monday.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicated that the label will be added to all GLP-1 drugs used to treat obesity, diabetes, and several other medical conditions. The class includes a dozen injectable or oral medications, including widely used brands such as Zepbound and Mounjaro.

The eye condition, known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, can cause significant vision loss. The problem, which has been reported with all GLP-1 drugs, occurs due to decreased blood flow to the optic nerve, although the underlying cause is not understood, the FDA noted.

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Scientists at the agency began investigating the issue after the publication of a 2024 medical article that linked the condition to certain patients taking semaglutide, the active drug in Novo Nordisk's Ozempic.

An FDA analysis of more than 125 clinical trials found that the problem occurred in approximately six out of every 100,000 patients who took a GLP-1 for at least a year. The comparable rate for people who took a placebo or other types of glucose-lowering medications was fewer than four per 100,000, the FDA indicated.

The agency also found reports of the problem in its electronic system for tracking drug injuries and side effects.

Symptoms include blurred vision, blind spots, distorted colors, and other visual disturbances, according to the FDA. Patients who experience these problems should contact a healthcare professional immediately, it added.