FDA adds rare vision-loss warning to popular GLP-1 drugs
[November 10, 2026]
By MATTHEW PERRONE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Popular weight loss drugs including Ozempic and Wegovy
will carry a new warning about a possible rare side effect that can
sometimes lead to permanent vision loss, U.S. health regulators
announced Monday.
The Food and Drug Administration said the risk will be added to the
labeling of all GLP-1 drugs, the blockbuster medications used to treat
obesity, diabetes and several other medical conditions. The class
includes a dozen injectable or pill-based drugs, including widely used
brands like 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, is caused by decreased blood flow to
the optic nerve, although the underlying cause isn't understood, the FDA
said.
FDA scientists began looking into the problem after the publication of a
2024 medical paper tying the condition to certain patients taking
semaglutide, the active drug in Eli Lilly's Ozempic.
An FDA analysis of more than 125 clinical trials found that the problem
occurred in roughly 6 of every 100,000 patients who took a GLP-1 for at
least one year. The comparable rate for people taking a placebo or other
types of glucose-lowering medications was less than 4 per 100,000, the
FDA said.
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The injectable drug Ozempic in Houston on July 1, 2023. (AP
Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
 The agency also found reports of the
problem in its electronic reporting system for drug injuries and
side effects.
Symptoms of the problem include blurred vision, blind spots,
distorted colors and other visual disturbances, according to the
FDA. Patients experiencing such problems should contact a health
care professional immediately, the agency said.
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