General Discussion

According to Bradley Katz, MD, PhD, an ophthalmologist at the John A. Moran Eye Center and professor in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Utah and lead author of this study, it’s important for researchers to continue to examine how GLP-1 medications might impact other areas of a person’s health.

“Between 2-3% of the U.S. population received a prescription for one of these medications in 2023,” Katz told Medical News Today. “Because so many people are using these medications it’s critical to monitor any ill effects on the eye or other parts of the body.” For this investigative study, Katz and his team focused on nine patients with an average age of about 58, with five females and four males.

Seven of the study participants developed NAION, which Katz explained is a stroke of the optic nerve — the nerve that connects your eye to your brain — potentially causing irreversible vision loss in one or both eyes.

“One (participant) developed a stroke in the retina — this is the part of your eye that absorbs light and turns it into an electrical signal for your brain,” he continued. “This stroke also causes irreversible loss of vision in one eye.” “The ninth patient developed swelling in both optic nerves but did not lose vision,” Katz added.

EDIT

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/review-3-potentially-blinding-eye-conditions-glp-1-drugs-ozempic-mounjaro#GLP-1-meds-and-eye-conditions