Doctors have issued a warning about a possible side effect linked to drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro.
Ozempic is an injection for people with type 2 diabetes. It helps manage blood sugar and became popular for weight loss because it reduces appetite. Ozempic is the brand name for semaglutide. The FDA approved it in 2017 to treat diabetes, but not for weight loss.
Mounjaro is another drug that lowers blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Unlike Ozempic, the FDA has approved Mounjaro for weight loss.
A recent study by the University of Toronto found a link between these drugs and vision loss in people with diabetes. The drugs belong to a class called GLP-1 receptor agonists. Researchers found they may raise the risk of a condition called neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
AMD affects central vision. It’s a common cause of permanent vision loss in adults over 50, especially in the U.S.
The study showed that people with type 2 diabetes who took these drugs were more than twice as likely to develop AMD than those without diabetes taking the same drugs.
Dr. Andrew Mihalache, one of the study’s authors, said the longer people took the drugs, the higher the risk. He said this suggests the risk may be real and not due to other factors.
Dr. Reut Shor, another author, said the findings were unexpected. “This shows we need more research to understand how these drugs may affect eye health,” she said.
Still, the overall risk remains low. The study found that only 0.2% of people on a GLP-1 drug developed AMD.
If you’re thinking about using a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic or Mounjaro, speak with a healthcare provider to decide if it’s right for you.
