Dad Claims Ozempic Caused Permanent Blindness, Joins Hundreds Suing Drug Makers

Edward Gillen, a 59-year-old father of four from Massachusetts, alleges that he went permanently blind from Ozempic, a GLP-1 medication he was taking for diabetes. Gillen told The U.S. Sun that by June 1 of last year, just days after noticing a speck in his eye on Memorial Day weekend, he was blind. After undergoing medical examinations, doctors diagnosed him with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and linked it to his year-long use of Ozempic.

"You don’t accept it. You don’t believe it. You’re just, ‘What the heck is going on?’” Gillen stated, describing the challenging process of relearning daily life activities, such as cooking and eating, without sight. He is now part of a growing number of lawsuits, exceeding 200, filed against manufacturers of GLP-1 drugs.

These lawsuits allege that the medications caused NAION, a condition characterized by sudden and irreversible vision loss. While Gillen was aware of potential side effects mentioned in commercials and by his doctor, he said the possibility of blindness was not something he anticipated.

NAION is often noticed upon waking and typically affects one eye. Medical experts compare the condition to a stroke, where a blockage of blood flow to the optic nerve leads to damage and death of nerve fibers. This damage is generally permanent, and there is currently no available treatment.

Research into the potential link between GLP-1 drugs and NAION is ongoing. A 2024 study published in JAMA Ophthalmology suggested an association between semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus) and an increased risk of NAION. A study in the July issue of Annals of Internal Medicine confirmed this association, though its authors noted that the overall risk remains low.

However, experts point out that individuals taking these medications often have pre-existing risk factors for NAION, such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, and sleep apnea. A joint statement from the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology in May indicated that the overall magnitude of NAION risk in patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists remains low, with some studies reporting no correlation.

Gillen's lawsuit is one of over 200 filed in federal court. Plaintiffs are suing Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Saxenda, and Eli Lilly, the maker of Trulicity, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. The lawsuits claim that the manufacturers were aware of the risks and failed to provide adequate warnings, rendering the drugs defectively dangerous.

Novo Nordisk maintains that the personal injury lawsuits are without merit and that they are defending against them in court. Liz Skrbkova, head of U.S. media and stakeholder relations at Novo, stated that patient safety is a top priority and that semaglutide has a well-established safety profile, supported by extensive clinical development and post-marketing use data.

Meanwhile, Gillen's community has launched the Coach BlindEd Foundation to support individuals with vision loss, raise awareness, and fund research.