Ozempic, Wegovy, Victoza, and Saxenda Lawsuit

UPDATE 11/12/2025: The petition filed by Weitz & Luxenberg to the Administrative Office of the Courts of the State of New Jersey seeking a multicounty litigation (MCL) for NAION Ozempic/Wegovy was granted. These cases will now be transferred to Bergen County and consolidated before Judge Padavano in the state for coordinated proceedings. W&L has filed 16 lawsuits against Novo Nordisk, Inc. on behalf of men and women who developed NAION as a result of their use of Ozempic and Wegovy and is actively filing new cases.

Patients who trusted Ozempic or Wegovy were not warned about the serious risk of NAION, a condition that causes irreversible vision loss. At Weitz & Luxenberg, we believe patients deserve justice. This is why our team of attorneys is pursuing cases of severe vision loss due to NAION in adults who took Ozempic or Wegovy for diabetes management or weight loss. A large study out of the Harvard Medical School revealed a strong association between these drugs and the development of NAION. ⁽¹⁾

There are similar injectable drugs on the market, such as Mounjaro and Zepbound (tirzepatide) or Victoza and Saxenda (liraglutide). As attention is now given to this rare and concerning injury, researchers have begun to study whether there is a “class effect” with all such injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications. An association has been found with liraglutide. If you used a semaglutide or liraglutide injection and had a loss in your vision, reach out to us today. We can help you explore your legal options and get justice for your injury, and the financial compensation you deserve.

Can Ozempic and Wegovy Cause Blindness?

The lawsuits are based on the fact that people were not warned that Ozempic or Wegovy were associated with NAION and that the manufacturer knew, or should have known, about this association. Recent studies have raised these concerns. Research “findings suggest an association between semaglutide and NAION.” ⁽²⁾

In December 2024, a large cohort study from leading research centers in Denmark and Norway (Denmark is home to Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of these drugs), was released comparing the risk of NAION among individuals with type 2 diabetes using semaglutide compared to those using sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2s), another diabetes medication. This study confirmed “an association between use of semaglutide for type 2 diabetes and risk of NAION, with a more than two-fold increased hazard ratio.” ⁽³⁾

A metanalysis of all clinical trials of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, also known as GLP-1RA drugs, including Novo Nordisk’s own clinical trials, found an increased risk of optic ischemic neuropathy, although it did not reach a level of statistical significance. However, the study concluded the overall rate of optic ischemic neuropathy was higher in the GLP1-RA group compared to the placebo group: 5.6 and 3.0 cases per 100,000 patient-years, respectively which is nearly a doubling of the risk. ⁽⁴⁾

In a registry-based prospective cohort study identifying 424,152 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in Denmark between December 1, 2018 and December 31, 2023, 106,454 of these patients were exposed to semaglutide and 67 developed NAION. The study concluded use of semaglutide “more than doubles the risk of NAION, even when multiple other factors have been taken into account.” ⁽⁵⁾

A recent case series published by Katz et al., “Ophthalmic Complications Associated With the Antidiabetic Drugs Semaglutide and Tirzepatide,” also examined nine patients taking GLP1-RA medications who had experienced ophthalmologic complications. Of the nine patients, seven developed NAION. ⁽⁶⁾

A March 2025 study, published in Acta Ophthalmologica, involved a review of published literature involving use of semaglutide and the development of NAION. The authors determined there is substantial numerical evidence of a higher risk of NAION in patients exposed to semaglutide compared to patients taking alternative medications for treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Given that semaglutide works to reduce a patient’s blood sugar (glycaemia), the authors concluded “semaglutide-related NAION may be a consequence of glycaemia reduction and not an off-target effect.” It was recommended that a base-line eye examination be conducted prior to the start of semaglutide to identity patients who may be at risk of developing NAION. ⁽⁷⁾

In addition, a recent cohort study found diabetic patients using semaglutide for two years or more were at a significantly higher risk of developing NAION. ⁽⁸⁾

Can Victoza or Saxenda Cause Blindness?

The medical community is now studying the association of NAION with use of liraglutide, the active ingredient in Victoza and Saxenda, also manufactured by Novo Nordisk. ⁽⁹⁾

More recently, in July 2025, a research letter published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Ophthalmology reviewed MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters data from 2006 until 2022 involving individuals taking a GLP-1RA with a history of obesity, type 2 diabetes, or neither diagnosis. The study found use of any GLP-1RA was associated with 19% higher chance of developing NAION within the first year of use. The findings specifically identified an increased risk associated with liraglutide. There was a two-fold risk of developing NAION amongst individuals without type 2 diabetes or obesity taking liraglutide. ⁽¹⁰⁾

A second research letter published in JAMA Ophthalmology on July 31, 2025 reviewed data of Medicare enrollees 65 years or older with type 2 diabetes and prescribed antidiabetic medications between 2007 and 2021. It states 15.1% of the patients were prescribed a GLP-1RA medication. The authors concluded both liraglutide and semaglutide were associated with an increased risk of NAION. ⁽¹¹⁾

Governmental Regulation Is Ongoing

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is currently evaluating if regulatory action is required. ⁽¹²⁾ However, the European Medicines Agency has already determined the risk of NAION with a frequency of “very rare” should be added to the product information for medications containing semaglutide. ⁽¹³⁾

“Despite all the hoopla on the benefits of these medications, it is often overlooked that the drugs you take can hurt you. Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy is a very serious condition and is a significant cause of blindness,” says Ellen Relkin, W&L partner and practice group chair of our firm’s Drug and Medical Device Litigation unit. “After taking Ozempic or Wegovy some people develop this unusual condition that causes irreparable damage to their vision. They were never warned of these serious risks. As someone who has lost vision entirely in one eye (from a different cause), I can fully empathize with the life altering impact of vision loss. I would want to know about the risk of NAION before taking a drug that could cause me to lose vision in my one good eye, just for the sake of weight loss.”

She continues, “Patients would not suspect that taking a drug to treat diabetes or to lose weight could damage their optic nerve. The connection was observed by astute neuro-ophthalmologists at Harvard who noticed what seemed to be a large number of their patients with NAION and who had been prescribed Ozempic or Wegovy. This prompted these concerned clinicians to conduct a large retrospective matched cohort study of their patients at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston. It is concerning that the patient inserts about these medications entirely fail to warn about this devastating condition.”

NAION and Vision Loss

NAION “is a devastating ocular condition causing permanent vision loss.” ⁽¹⁴⁾ This nerve is a cable that connects the brain to the eye. It “is a bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers.” ⁽¹⁵⁾

This injury happens when the circulation of blood is impaired to the front of the optic nerve. This can lead to vision loss. ⁽¹⁶⁾

In effect, the optic nerve does not receive the nutrients and oxygen it needs. ⁽¹⁷⁾ The end result is blindness.

NAION Symptoms

If you have NAION, you may have no warning before experiencing vision loss. However, most patients do notice some loss of vision in one eye when they wake up in the morning. ⁽¹⁸⁾

Other people may notice a shadow or darkened area in your vision. This darkness might affect either the upper or lower portions of your visual field. Loss of contrast and light sensitivity are other possible symptoms of NAION. ⁽¹⁹⁾

Treatment for NAION

There is no medication or surgery to treat NAION. Depending on the cause of your NAION, your vision loss may be stable. However, it could worsen over a few weeks and never improve. ⁽²⁰⁾

In worst-case scenarios, you could lose vision and be blind in both eyes, not just one. ⁽²¹⁾

Using Ozempic and Wegovy Semaglutides

Semaglutide is a type of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It mimics a hormone the human body releases in the gastrointestinal tract when you eat something. ⁽²²⁾

This hormone prompts your body to produce more insulin, which lowers blood sugar. In higher amounts, this hormone “interacts with the parts of the brain that reduce appetite and signal a feeling of fullness.” ⁽²³⁾

The FDA has approved three semaglutide medications: ⁽²⁴⁾

• Ozempic injections are intended to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
• Ozempic is also prescribed to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death in patients with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
• Wegovy injection is intended to help both adults and children over 12 years of age with obesity and other weight related conditions.

Using Victoza and Saxenda Liraglutides

Liraglutides, such as Victoza and Saxenda, work in a similar way: ^{(25) (26) (27)}

• Saxenda has been approved since December 2014 for chronic weight management in adults.
• Victoza was approved by the FDA in 2010 as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Reach Out to Weitz & Luxenberg for Your Optic Nerve Eye Injury Case

The attorneys at W&L urge you to contact us if you used Ozempic, Wegovy, Victoza, or Saxenda and were diagnosed with NAION.

You may have a successful lawsuit if you were diagnosed with NAION after receiving at least one administration of either medication. Talk with a member of our team by filling out our form, or calling us for more information at (917) LAWYERS.

Our attorneys are reviewing cases of people whose eyesight was harmed by these medications. Reach out to us if you developed severe vision loss, so we can help you get any financial compensation you deserve.

At Weitz & Luxenberg, our qualified legal team of defective drugs and medical devices attorneys is prepared to take on large corporations nationwide. We can help you explore your legal options, provide guidance, and help you get compensation for your pain and suffering due to your vision loss.

Since the mid-1980s, our attorneys have secured more than $26 billion on behalf of clients who suffered severe injuries due to the actions or inactions of others.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Updated August 5, 2025