Semaglutide linked to increased risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, but evidence remains insufficient to establish definitive conclusion
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For adults with diabetes, semaglutide treatment is not associated with increased risk of eye disorders or diabetic retinopathy, according to a review published online Aug. 14 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Gabriella R. Natividade, M.D., from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and colleagues examined the incidence of eye disorders, diabetic retinopathy, and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in adults treated with semaglutide in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Data were included from 78 trials with 73,640 participants.
The researchers found that the risk of eye disorders or diabetic retinopathy was not increased or reduced with semaglutide. However, semaglutide treatment was associated with a significantly increased risk of NAION (odds ratio, 3.92). The risk of bias was low overall. The sample size was sufficient to avoid missing alternative results for diabetic retinopathy but not for NAION, based on evidence provided by trial sequential analysis.
“Treatment with semaglutide in adults was not associated with an increased risk of eye disorders or diabetic retinopathy in this study, and future studies are unlikely to change these results,” the authors write. “Additional studies dedicated to checking the relationship between semaglutide and NAION are needed.”
Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.
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