Two separate studies conducted by University of Southern Denmark, SDU confirm that patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes on the medication Ozempic doubled their risk of developing rare but severe eye condition termed Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy that can cause permanent vision.

Key Findings:
Data Scope:
The studies analyzed Danish health registers and matched over 106,000 users of Ozempic with other diabetes therapies.Risk Confirmation:

• Patients taking Ozempic were found to be twice as likely to develop NAION due to sudden blood flow stoppage to the optic nerve.

• NAION cases in Denmark surged from 60-70 annually to up to 150 cases since Ozempic’s market introduction in 2018.

• American Study Validation:

Earlier this year, an American study raised concerns about Ozempic, linking it to a similar elevated risk of NAION. The Danish research validates this hypothesis with a more comprehensive dataset.

• Clinical Comparison:

Researchers compared new users of Ozempic with patients using other diabetes drugs at similar disease stages. Findings remained consistent across data from Denmark and Norway.

• Absolute Risk Remains Low:

Despite the increased risk, experts emphasized that NAION remains a rare side effect.

Expert opinions:
Prof. Jakob Grauslund, Ophthalmology at SDU:
"We have confirmed the American findings using robust Nordic data. Although the risk is small, it is substantial and should be taken into consideration when choosing treatment.".
Prof. Anton Pottegard, Pharmaceuticals at SDU:
"The patient and the doctor must balance the risk against the benefits of Ozempic. In case of NAION symptoms in one eye, the treatment should be discontinued immediately to avoid further complications."
Prof. Kurt Hejlund, Steno Diabetes Center:
"Treatments of type 2 diabetes must be adjusted from now onwards according to them, since protection therapy against kidney and heart diseases is an alternative here".

Global Perspective:
Ozempic, containing semaglutide, is widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes and weight management. While effective, authorities globally—including in the US and EU—are closely monitoring its safety profile due to emerging side-effect reports.

The patient's instructions.
Patients receiving Ozempic are counseled to:

• Report immediately symptoms of vision loss, sudden pain in the eye, or changes in visual acuity.

• Consult doctors about alternative treatments if they are at an increased risk for NAION.

Danish research results will impact global treatment guidelines and make medical practitioners and patients aware of monitoring eye health during the management of diabetes.