Weight loss medications like Ozempic have surged in popularity in recent years, prescribed for managing both diabetes and weight loss. However, a rising number of patients now claim the drug may come with an alarming and potentially permanent side effect—vision loss that cannot be reversed.
One such patient is Edward Fanelli, a former contractor from Freehold, New Jersey. Fanelli was prescribed Ozempic to help manage his diabetes. But within months of starting the medication, he says his vision began to deteriorate rapidly, ultimately ending his ability to work in his chosen field. “Not even six to eight months later, I, out of nowhere, I could not see out of my right eye,” Fanelli recalls. “I couldn’t take a chance do the contracting work, worried about cutting my fingers off.”
Fanelli was later diagnosed with a condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which strikes suddenly and has no available cure. He is now the first patient in New Jersey to initiate legal proceedings in state court against the makers of Ozempic, alleging that he was never informed of the potential risk of permanent vision loss associated with the drug. “If they would have told me a chance I could lose my vision, I would not have taken it. Don’t care – weight loss would have done on my own,” he states.
Fanelli is far from alone in raising these concerns. Attorney Jason Goldstein, based in Long Island and affiliated with the firm Parker Waichman LLP, represents more than a dozen clients, including Fanelli, who are filing lawsuits related to semaglutide. Semaglutide is the primary active compound found in Ozempic and other similar medications, and recent medical literature has drawn connections between this compound and the onset of NAION.
Goldstein contends that drug manufacturers failed in their responsibility to adequately warn consumers about the risks. “That’s the crux of this case, people are not warned about this. What did the doctor know? What did the patient know? No one knew,” he explains.
He intends to push not only for financial compensation for the affected patients but also for updated warning labels on drugs that contain semaglutide. Goldstein emphasizes that his aim is to ensure future patients do not unknowingly suffer consequences from drugs that were meant to improve their health.
In response to the growing concerns and lawsuits, Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind Ozempic, issued a formal statement addressing the allegations and defending the safety profile of their product. “NAION is a very rare eye disease, and it is not an adverse drug reaction for the marketed formulations of semaglutide (Ozempic®, Rybelsus® and Wegovy®) as per the approved labels,” a spokesperson from Novo Nordisk said.
The company insists that after thoroughly examining both external studies, such as those from the University of Southern Denmark, and its own internal safety reviews, there remains no indication that semaglutide is responsible for causing NAION. “Novo Nordisk is of the opinion that the benefit-risk profile of semaglutide remains unchanged,” the spokesperson said.
Furthermore, Novo Nordisk reported that it has conducted its own analysis across several randomized controlled clinical trials involving GLP-1 receptor agonists—a class of drugs that includes semaglutide. These analyses incorporated evaluations by independent, blinded ophthalmologists who confirmed NAION diagnoses. The company asserts that the findings did not suggest a causal link between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists and the development of NAION.
Despite the growing number of legal claims, Novo Nordisk has reiterated its commitment to patient safety. “Patient safety is a top priority for Novo Nordisk, and we take all reports about adverse events from use of our medicines very seriously. This also relates to eye conditions, which are well-known comorbidities for people living with diabetes,” the spokesperson said.
The company also emphasized that treatment decisions involving prescription-only drugs should always be made in partnership with a medical professional. “Any decision to start treatment with prescription-only medicines should be made in consultation with a healthcare professional who should do a benefit-risk evaluation for the patient in question, weighing up the benefits of treatment with the potential risks,” the company stated.
The legal complaints surrounding Ozempic and its active ingredient are surfacing at a time when the drug is being prescribed more widely than ever. Initially developed and approved to help manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, semaglutide’s effectiveness in promoting weight loss has made it one of the most sought-after medications on the market. Ozempic, along with other semaglutide-based medications like Wegovy and Rybelsus, has been credited with helping many patients achieve significant weight loss and better overall health.
However, the emerging concerns around irreversible vision damage threaten to cast a shadow over the drug’s widespread success. Attorneys like Goldstein argue that transparency and proper warnings are critical, especially when the potential consequences are as severe as losing one’s sight.
As the legal process unfolds, cases like Fanelli’s are likely to receive increased attention from both the medical and legal communities. His experience underscores the need for rigorous safety communication between pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, and patients. Whether or not the courts determine that the drug is directly responsible for NAION, the growing scrutiny may eventually lead to revised labeling and greater awareness of rare but serious risks.
While Novo Nordisk maintains that no definitive causal relationship has been found between semaglutide and NAION, the issue highlights the complex balance of risk and benefit in modern medicine. For patients like Fanelli, the potential benefits were outweighed by a life-altering outcome they say they never saw coming.