Photo illustration of a group of weight loss injection pens on a weight scale. (Photo by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
All GLP-1 drugs, which include popular brands like Ozempic and Wegovy, will soon carry new labels warning people taking the medications about a possible side effect that could lead to permanent vision loss.
Why you should care:
The Food and Drug Administration explained the labels will alert patients to a potential eye condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. While doctors do not know what causes the rare condition, it can lead to decreased blood flow through the optic nerve.
The backstory:
The FDA began investigating the link after a 2024 medical paper tied the condition to semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic. The problem has been associated with all GLP-1 drugs, a class of medications that includes both injectable and pill forms. There are a dozen different brands, including widely used ones like Zepbound and Mounjaro.
RELATED: Blood sugar spikes could hinge on the order you eat your food, study suggests
By the numbers:
FDA officials studied 125 clinical trials and found that roughly 6 in 100,000 people who took a GLP-1 for more than a year developed the condition. People taking a placebo or other glucose-lowering medications was less than 4 per 100,000.
Dig deeper:
Symptoms of the eye condition include blurred vision, blind spots, distorted colors, and other visual disturbances, the FDA stated. Federal health officials recommend that anyone experiencing those issues contact a health care professional immediately.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from the Food and Drug Administration and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando, Florida.