Ozempic gets an eye warning in the US. What SA users should know

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered the makers of every GLP-1 medicine, including Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, to add a warning about a rare eye condition that can cause sudden vision loss. The agency announced the change in a drug safety communication on 9 November 2026 (FDA).

The condition is called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION. The FDA says it can cause "acute, painless, decreased vision in one eye, including permanent vision loss" (FDA).

How big is the risk?

Small, but higher than in people not taking these medicines. The FDA analysed 126 clinical trials and found these rates (FDA):

A person-year is one person taking the medicine for one year. The FDA also said a causal link has not been established, and its scientists could not identify how the drugs might raise the risk (CNBC; NBC News).

Europe reached a similar view earlier. In June 2025, the European Medicines Agency's safety committee concluded that NAION is a very rare side effect of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, affecting up to 1 in 10,000 people who take it (EMA). The World Health Organization flagged the same finding to health workers and regulators (WHO).

Which medicines are affected?

The FDA's order covers all GLP-1 medicines sold in the US (FDA):

Does this apply in South Africa?

The FDA's order applies to labels in the US. South Africa's medicines regulator, SAHPRA, had not published its own NAION notice on its semaglutide page when we checked.

SAHPRA's semaglutide FAQ says Ozempic is registered in South Africa for adults with type 2 diabetes, is not registered for weight loss here, and is available only on prescription (SAHPRA). It also warns that products bought outside licensed pharmacies, including compounded versions, have not been checked by SAHPRA for safety (SAHPRA).

What symptoms should I watch for?

The FDA lists these signs of NAION (FDA):

The FDA says patients should contact their health care professional right away if they have any of these symptoms (FDA).

Should I stop taking my medicine?

Don't stop on your own. The FDA says people who have had NAION should talk to their health care professional about whether to continue or stop the medicine (FDA). The EMA's advice is that semaglutide should be stopped if NAION is confirmed (EMA).

The FDA lists smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, anaemia and kidney disease as possible risk factors for NAION. Someone who has had it in one eye has a higher chance of it happening in the other (FDA).