What Is NAION? Understanding the Vision Condition Now Linked to Ozempic and GLP-1 Drugs

Taking Ozempic or other GLP-1 drugs has been linked to cases of sudden vision loss caused by a condition known as NAION. If you’re wondering what NAION is and whether your symptoms could be related, understanding how this condition affects the optic nerve is the first step toward protecting your health and legal rights.

What Is NAION and How Does It Cause Vision Loss?

NAION (Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy) is a condition caused by reduced blood flow to the optic nerve, leading to sudden, often permanent vision loss — typically in one eye. ⁽¹⁾

Optic nerve damage happens when arteries cannot supply enough blood to part of your optic nerve head. Oxygen does not reach your optic nerve. Lack of oxygen leads to swelling and damage to the optic nerve. ⁽²⁾

When your optic nerve is damaged, signals that reach your eye can no longer reach your brain. Nerve death in the optic nerve usually cannot be reversed and vision loss is then permanent. ⁽³⁾

Why Is NAION Being Linked to Ozempic and Other GLP-1 Drugs?

Ozempic and other glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1) drugs were initially approved to treat type 2 diabetes because they lower blood sugar. This class of drugs is also known to suppress appetite resulting in many people losing weight. The active ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide. Wegovy was approved as a weight-loss drug, and like Ozempic, contains semaglutide. ⁽⁴⁾

Despite the purported health benefits, researchers have found there is an increased of developing NAION while taking semaglutides drugs. Right now, no treatment exists for this type of vision loss. Once your eyes are damaged, your sight might never return. ⁽⁵⁾

Symptoms of NAION You Should Not Ignore

The primary symptom of NAION you should not ignore is vision loss. With NAION, vision loss typically happens all of a sudden. This vision loss is painless. Some people describe it as a blurring across part of their field of view. Often, the vision loss happens to the lower part of your eye. You may also experience reduced color vision. ⁽⁶⁾

Often, you will notice the vision loss right after you wake up. You went to sleep, and everything was fine. Then, you wake up and you can’t see. Usually, just one eye is affected first. ⁽⁷⁾

What To Do If Vision Loss Began After Using Ozempic or a GLP-1 Drug

If you developed vision loss after using Ozempic or Wegovy, take these immediate steps:

1. First and most importantly, contact your health care provider immediately. Any loss of vision is something to take seriously. Medical professionals can advise you on what to do next. They can also refer you to specialists. For NAION, your family doctor may start with an eye doctor who could then refer you to a neuro-ophthalmologist, although some rural areas do not have such experts.
2. Advise your physician you are taking Ozempic or Wegovy. The prescribing information in the U.S. does not yet warn American doctors to tell patients to discontinue the semaglutide, although the labelling in Europe does. However, many ophthalmologists are now familiar with the risk and might tell you to immediately discontinue the medication. ^{(8) (9)}
3. Gather any medical records regarding your diagnosis. How many doctors or referrals did you need? Look for receipts from doctor’s visits, costs of diagnostic procedures, lab work, and any other forms of treatment you received. You need this to keep track of your medical facts, as well as to share with a lawyer if you chose to pursue a lawsuit.
4. Find a legal professional to speak with. Limit your search to law firms with experience handling complex personal injury and defective drugs. Our firm, Weitz & Luxenberg, fits your needs. Beware that many firms are just advertisers and simply refer clients to other lawyers. Make sure the firm you hire actually litigates the cases they advertise for!
5. Look at the law firm website. See how long they’ve been around. Look for any testimonials, and see what their history is. Once you’ve narrowed down your possibilities, plan to call the one with good chances of successfully helping you.
6. Choose the law firm that seems right for you and contact it. Make sure that firm is handling claims involving NAION and use of Ozempic and Wegovy. You are just one of many who have been harmed by these medications, and Weitz & Luxenberg has already filed numerous lawsuits for our clients. Ask if they have already filed NAION cases, and how many and where. We have filed dozens of NAION cases for more than a year and filed a successful petition to the New Jersey Supreme Court to create a consolidated NAION litigation. The petition was granted and there is a consolidation in state court New Jersey for plaintiffs who reside anywhere in the United States, since Novo Nordisk is a New Jersey Corporation.
7. Let your attorney guide you through the next steps. The more information you have on hand when you speak to us, the better. Our team of lawyers navigate the entire litigation process and keep you informed every step of the way. Make sure you keep all records of treatment and receipts for medical bills.

How Weitz & Luxenberg Helps Patients Seeking Answers

Many people have taken Ozempic, Wegovy, or other GLP-1 drugs hoping they would lose weight and feel better. What they didn’t know was that these drugs could lead to severe vision loss. Worse even, there is no current treatment to reverse this kind of damage to your optic nerve. Many patients are left permanently blind and disabled.

At Weitz & Luxenberg, we believe the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy should have warned physicians and patients alike that people who used them could develop NAION.

We have filed lawsuits against the manufacturer on behalf of people across the country. Our defective drugs and devices team filed a petition for consolidation of these cases in New Jersey state court, which has been granted. These remain as individual lawsuits but have been assigned to the same judge.

The advantage of consolidation means you, and many others like you who were harmed by Ozempic or other GLP-1 drugs, will be part of a streamlined case that is more efficient than hundreds or thousands of cases proceeding separately. Our goal is to help as many people as possible as quickly as possible.

Weitz & Luxenberg has already filed dozens of lawsuits on behalf of individuals who developed NAION while using Ozempic or Wegovy. With almost 40 years of experience and billions recovered for clients, our team is prepared to help you understand your options. Call us at (917) LAWYERS, so we can help you, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may have questions about your NAION lawsuit. Here are some answers: