In a recent development, the European Medicines Agency’s safety arm has confirmed that semaglutide—a drug widely prescribed under brand names such as Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy—carries a very rare risk of triggering non‑arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). This rare but serious eye condition may affect up to one in every 10,000 individuals on long‑term semaglutide therapy.
NAION, a leading cause of sudden vision loss in adults after glaucoma, results from disrupted blood flow to the optic nerve, often manifesting as sudden, painless, one‑eye vision loss that is frequently irreversible . The warning follows comprehensive review by the EMA’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC), which analyzed data from clinical trials, post‑marketing surveillance, and published studies. Their findings indicate that semaglutide users face approximately double the risk of developing NAION compared to those not on the medication—equating to about one additional case per 10,000 patient‑years.
The World Health Organization has also urged updating semaglutide’s risk‑management plans to address this newly recognized potential danger, advising prompt discontinuation of the drug if sudden vision loss occurs. Healthcare providers are now being urged to educate patients on recognizing early warning signs and to act swiftly should symptoms appear.
Although Novo Nordisk, the drug’s manufacturer, maintains that clinical data have not established a direct causal link and that the overall benefit‑risk balance remains positive, the label updates may lead to increased vigilance in prescribing practice. Analysts predict only a marginal impact on prescription rates, even as rival weight‑loss products like Eli Lilly’s Zepbound compete in the marketplace.
Cases of vision loss among users of semaglutide and similar GLP‑1 agonists have also emerged in observational reports, including legal actions from individuals who developed optic nerve damage after treatment. Australia’s regulator, the TGA, has identified more than 40 recorded eye‑related events—two involving sudden blindness—among users of Ozempic and Wegovy between late 2020 and May 2025.
Medical experts emphasize that NAION remains exceedingly rare among semaglutide users. They stress that patients and clinicians weigh this minimal risk against the proven benefits of semaglutide for diabetes control and weight management. Still, they advise those experiencing abrupt vision changes to seek immediate medical attention and consider discontinuation of the drug as a precaution.