If you or a loved one were diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) or sudden vision loss after taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or other semaglutide or GLP-1 receptor agonist medication, you may be entitled to recover compensation from an Ozempic NAION lawsuit case or settlement claim.
A team of drug injury attorneys and class action lawyers is investigating potential NAION eye injury lawsuit and settlement cases of individuals who were diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) after using GLP-1 receptor agonist medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and other semaglutide medications.
Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or NAION is a medical condition that involves sudden vision loss in (usually) one eye due to insufficient blood supply to the front part of the optic nerve (akin to a stroke of the optic nerve). Non-arteritic means it’s not related to inflammation of the arteries. Anterior refers to the front part of the optic nerve, where the damage occurs in NAION. Ischemic means a lack of blood supply to the tissue, which reduced blood flow to the optic nerve can lead to lack of oxygen and nutrients supply, cellular injury, tissue death and nerve damage. Optic neuropathy refers to damage or disease of the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain, which can result in partial or total vision loss (blindness).
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the estimated annual incidence of NAION in the U.S. is between 2.3 and 10.3 people per 100,000 individuals per year, resulting in approximately 6,000 new NAION cases each year, making it the most common cause of acute optic neuropathy in patients over the age of 50.
Unfortunately, recent studies have found that the use of certain GLP-1 receptor agonist medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and other semaglutides may be associated with an increased risk of developing non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or NAION.
Ozempic NAION Vision Loss Lawsuits: Overview
- What Is The Ozempic NAION Eye Injury Lawsuit About?
- What Is Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION)?
- What Are GLP-1 Agonist Medications (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy)?
- Who May Be Eligible For a NAION Lawsuit or Settlement?
- Can Ozempic, Wegovy and Other Semaglutides Cause NAION?
- What Are Possible Signs or Symptoms of NAION?
- What Are Potential Complications Of NAION?
- Are There Medical Treatments For NAION?
- Can I Recover Compensation From an Ozempic NAION Lawsuit?
- Is There A Deadline To File an Ozempic Vision Loss Lawsuit?
- Request A Free Case Review From A NAION Injury Lawyer
NAION Eye Injury Lawsuit & Settlement Cases
NAION lawsuit and settlement cases potentially being investigated include claims of individuals who, after taking Ozempic, Wegovy or other semaglutides or GLP-1 medications to treat diabetes or obesity, were diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy:
- Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy
- NAION
- Non-arteritic AION
- Ischemic optic neuropathy
- Papillitis ischemica
- Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION):
- Eye stroke
- Optic disc infarction
- Disc edema with ischemic etiology
- Sudden vision loss
- Other eye injury lawsuit cases
If you or someone you love took Ozempic, Wegovy, or other GLP-1 medications and were later diagnosed with NAION, you may qualify to recover money from an Ozempic NAION lawsuit or settlement case.
Link Between Ozempic/Semaglutides & NAION
Several recent studies have found a potential link between semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), including:
- AMA Ophthalmology (July 2024): A study by Hathaway et al. from Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Harvard) found a potential association between semaglutide use and an increased risk of NAION in patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity/overweight. The study reported hazard ratios of 4.28 for those with type 2 diabetes and 7.64 for those who were overweight/obese.
- Danish and Norwegian Cohort Studies (December 2024): Research from the University of Southern Denmark indicated that semaglutide use more than doubled the risk of NAION in patients with type 2 diabetes.
- JAMA Ophthalmology (February 2025): In a JAMA Opthamology study that analyzed health records of over 37 million people with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that patients on semaglutide had a 32% increased relative risk of developing NAION compared to those not taking the drug. Interestingly, the study also found that semaglutide users did not have a significantly increased risk compared to users of other GLP-1 medications, suggesting the possibility that other GLP-1 medications may also be linked to an increased risk of NAION.
NAION Signs & Symptoms
NAION signs and symptoms can potentially include:
- Sudden vision loss in one eye
- Painless loss of vision
- Monocular vision loss
- Visual field defects
- Dark or shadowy areas in vision
- Altitudinal field defect
- Loss of vision in lower half of visual field
- Loss of vision in upper half visual field
- Blind spot in center of field of vision (central scotoma)
- Loss of vision in the outer parts of the visual field
- Peripheral vision loss
- Pale optic nerve head
- Pallor of the optic disc
- Optic disc edema (optic disc swelling)
- Optic nerve swollen
- Optic atrophy
- Optic nerve fibers degenerate
- Decreased visual acuity
- Reduction sharpness of vision
- Blood vessel abnormalities
- Peripapillary hemorrhage (bleeding)
- Optic disc hemorrhage
- Decreased color vision
- Absence of inflammation of the eye
- Afferent pupillary defect (APD) / Marcus Gunn Pupil
- Other NAION symptoms or signs
Procedures and tests used by ophthalmologists (or neuro-ophthalmologists) to diagnose NAION can include a comprehensive eye exam (including visual acuity, color vision testing, pupil examination for an afferent pupillary defect, and dilated funduscopic examination to view the optic nerve), visual field testing, optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer, fluorescein angiography to assess optic nerve blood flow and blood tests to rule out other conditions.
NAION Complications
Complications from NAION can potentially include:
- Permanent vision loss
- Optic nerve atrophy
- Long-term vision impairment
- Blurred or foggy vision
- Seeing dark shadows
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Progressive vision loss in the other eye
- Cognitive impairment
- Psychosocial impact
- Emotional distress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Reduced quality of life due to impaired vision
- Chronic eye fatigue
- Strain in the remaining functional eye
- Headaches
- Other NAION eye injury complications
NAION Treatments
There is presently no known effective treatment to cure NAION, but some treatments exist that potentially may help improve vision or prevent further damage including medication such as corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone) to reduce inflammation and improve blood flow to the optic nerve, anticoagulants (e.g., aspirin) to help prevent blood clots that could block blood flow to the optic nerve and angiogenesis inhibitors (e.g., bevacizumab) to try to block the growth of abnormal blood vessels that can damage the optic nerve; and optic nerve decompression surgery to try to relieve pressure on the optic nerve.
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or NAION after taking Ozempic, Wegovy, semaglutide or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, you may be entitled to compensation from a NAION lawsuit or settlement. Contact a drug injury lawyer to request a free case review.
*If you or a loved one are experiencing health issues, side effects or complications after taking a prescription drug or medication, we urge you to promptly consult with your doctor or physician for an evaluation.
**The listing of a company (e.g., Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly) or product (e.g., Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, or Rybelsus) is not meant to state or imply that the company acted illegally or improperly or that the product is unsafe or defective; rather only that an investigation may be, is or was being conducted to determine whether legal rights have been violated.
***The use of any trademarks, tradenames or service marks is solely for product identification and/or informational purposes.
Fill out the form to request a free attorney review.