mASS. — A multi-district lawsuit involving more than 130 cases is before a Philadelphia judge, alleging that popular GLP-1 medications cause a rare form of permanent vision loss.
The lawsuit targets drug manufacturers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, makers of widely prescribed medications including Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Zepbound.
The lawsuits, including one filed in Massachusetts, center on non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, known as NAION, an irreversible condition often described as an eye stroke caused by restricted blood flow.
A 2024 study published in JAMA Ophthalmology by researchers at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston indicated that diabetic patients prescribed GLP-1 medications were more than four times more likely to be diagnosed with NAION, while overweight patients taking the drugs were more than seven times more likely to receive the diagnosis.
Jason Goldstein, an attorney serving on the multi-district lawsuit steering committee, explained that NAION strikes without warning. “It comes on suddenly, you don’t feel it and then it’s permanent,” Goldstein said. He noted that the condition affects patients across various age groups. “I have a client who is as young as 33 years old who has developed this,” Goldstein said. “I have client from New York, a 48-year-old gentleman, lost it in both eyes.”
Diane Wirth, a former nurse practitioner and plaintiff in the lawsuit, says she was prescribed Wegovy in February 2025 to lose weight and woke up weeks later unable to see out of her right eye.
Wirth said the sudden vision loss forced her to quit her job and rely on her husband for driving. “My vision’s just not as what it was,” Wirth said, adding that daily chores are “a lot more difficult” because “it’s just your depth perception is off.”
Recalling her reaction, Wirth said, “It was heartbreaking, it was jarring, I was angry.” She noted that patients receive no advance warning before sight loss occurs.
“Bottom line is there’s nothing you can do to prevent NAION if it’s gonna happen with these drugs because there’s not a warning sign. You wake up and you’re blind,” Wirth said. “Once it happens, it’s permanent. There’s no going back. So it’s scary.”
She stated that she would have avoided the medication had potential vision risks been disclosed. “If I would have read that there’s a possibility that I could lose my vision, I would’ve never taken this drug. I just, I mean... Your eyesight is not anything you can get back and it’s a permanent loss,” Wirth said.
Other lawsuit filings detail similar experiences among patients.
A 60-year-old Easthampton man referred to as John A. Smith in court documents was prescribed Wegovy and suffered left eye vision loss due to NAION.
Warning labels for semaglutide—the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic—differ internationally. “In Europe the label has been updated for semaglutide, which is what Wegovy and Ozempic is. To warn about this rare condition in the UK, the same thing,” Goldstein said.
Norvo Nordisk and Lilly are the two big makers of GLP-1s including Wegovy, Ozempic, Monjouro and Zepbound.
Both companies said patient safety is their top priority.
Lilly sent this statement:
“Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority. We actively monitor, evaluate, and report safety information for all our medicines to the FDA. As part of our routine safety review process for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) we have ongoing discussions with regulators regarding potential safety topics, and we will continue to review data, including any data regarding ophthalmic issues. Recent literature has concluded that the “evidence does not establish a causal relationship between GLP-1RAs and NAION.” If anyone is experiencing side effects when taking a Lilly medicine, they should talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional.”
Novo Nordisk said it conducted its own study of 96,000 patients and found no increased risk.
In response to questions regarding GLP-1 medications, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a statement recommending that patients taking GLP-1 drugs consider visiting an ophthalmologist to establish a baseline vision examination.
Legal proceedings for the multi-district lawsuit before the Philadelphia judge could take years to reach an outcome.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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