A Maryland man who took Ozempic and then became legally blind is suing the weight loss drug's manufacturer, arguing that the company was obligated to warn patients that vision loss is a possible side effect.
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Todd Engel, 63, was prescribed Ozempic in 2023 to manage his Type 2 diabetes. Roughly four months later, Engel was diagnosed with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, a condition in which a loss of blood flow to the optic nerve causes sudden and irreversible vision loss, according to the lawsuit.
"I first noticed it on New Year's Eve, 2024. I had just gotten out of the shower, was getting ready to go to work. And I said to Shelley, 'I can't see in my right eye. It's totally black. It's totally dark in my right eye,'" Engel told Fox News Digital during an on-camera interview.
"I was horrified. I was very, very upset that I couldn't see."
NAION occurs in up to about 10 out of every 100,000 people over age 50, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Some studies suggest that patients prescribed semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, for diabetes or weight loss may be at increased risk of developing NAION.
Ozempic Ingredient Associated With Vision Loss
Experts say that although there is a growing connection between Ozempic and NAION, it is too soon to know definitively if semaglutide raises the risk of developing the condition.
When Engel began losing his vision, he was referred to Johns Hopkins' Wilmer Eye Institute for further testing.
He was told he had suffered an "eye stroke," another term used for NAION.
"The blood work came back in the normal range for me. My blood pressure was fine. They said, 'You can go back to work,'" he said.
Unaware of the potential association between semaglutide and NAION, Engel continued taking Ozempic.
Roughly 10 months later, Engel suddenly lost vision in his left eye.
"At that point in time, losing sight in both eyes, there was a tremendous amount of concern," he said.
Doctors told Engel that no procedure or medicine could restore his vision.
"I didn't go blind. I had my vision taken from me, which was catastrophic to me and to my family," he said.
"I'll never be able to see my wife's beautiful face again, be able to see children and grandchildren, be able to play ball with them," he added. "And that is very, very upsetting to me."
