Irish case report links semaglutide to ischaemic optic neuropathy in woman in her 70s

The wire

1. 01A woman in her 70s with vascular risk factors presented with three days of progressive left-sided visual disturbance, a relative afferent pupillary defect and superior optic disc swelling consistent with NAION after six months on semaglutide.
2. 02The report adds to pharmacovigilance signals around semaglutide and eye symptoms, relevant when clinicians assess acute painless monocular visual loss in patients on GLP-1 therapy.
3. 03The authors state causality remains unproven; this is a single case with unremarkable haematology and neuroimaging and only partial visual recovery after cessation.

From the source

Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischaemic Optic Neuropathy Associated with Semaglutide use

Irish medical journal · 2026 Sep 28 · Kearney M, Smyth NM, Hassan HSA et al.