Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly face dozens of lawsuits alleging drug-induced permanent blindness

At least 90 personal-injury claims have been lodged in U.S. courts alleging that GLP-1 agonists such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro caused non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION), an irreversible eye-stroke condition. Plaintiffs, including Michelle Fennell and Jay Vandegriff, report sudden vision loss after months of treatment for type-2 diabetes. The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued a safety warning, and a 2024 study found semaglutide users were about four times more likely to develop NAION than patients on other diabetes drugs.

Nonetheless, some ophthalmology researchers note the risk is modest and may be confounded by diabetes itself. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly assert the lawsuits are unfounded, citing internal analyses that show no increased incidence compared with placebo. The cases follow a Danish payout of over £1.1 million to 27 patients who suffered the same condition after using the drugs.