Man Sues Drug Maker, Claims Ozempic Caused Total Vision Loss

A Maryland man claims that the popular diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic led to his total vision loss, leaving him legally blind. Todd Engel, 63, has filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, the Denmark-based manufacturer of Ozempic, alleging the company failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about the potential risk of vision loss.

Engel was prescribed Ozempic in 2023 to manage his diabetes. Approximately four months after starting the medication, he was diagnosed with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition in which reduced blood flow damages the optic nerve, potentially causing sudden and permanent vision loss. Engel reported experiencing vision loss in his right eye first, followed by his left eye about 10 months later.

Doctors told Engel that there was no medication or surgical procedure that could restore his vision. His wife, Shelley Engel, stated that medical testing did not identify any common factors beyond Ozempic. He stopped taking the drug after losing sight in his second eye.

"I didn't go blind — I had my vision taken from me, which was catastrophic to me and to my family," Engel said.

Engel is among hundreds of patients pursuing legal action against makers of GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy, over claims that the drugs caused NAION. The lawsuits allege that manufacturers failed to provide sufficient warnings about the potential risks, although a causal relationship between the medications and the condition has not been definitively established.

Life After Vision Loss

At the time of his vision loss, Engel worked as a heavy equipment operator and truck driver for Howard County Highways for approximately 40 years. He noted that the injury has made everyday activities difficult and has impacted his ability to perform his job, which he had been skilled at for decades.

Engel described how he now counts steps to navigate his home and uses a white cane to move around outside. He relies on his family for assistance with daily tasks, a situation he finds embarrassing at his age.

"For me personally, it's embarrassing. I'm 64 years old. I shouldn't need ... my grandchildren or my wife to help me get from point A to point B," he said.

His wife echoed the sentiment, stating that the vision loss has profoundly affected the entire family. "It has completely changed every aspect of our lives," she said.

Engel expressed that if he had been warned about a potential link between Ozempic and vision loss, he would not have taken the drug.

"Had I known, had my doctor had any inkling that this could have happened ... I'm sure he would have asked me and I would have said absolutely not," he stated. "I will deal with the diabetes .... I refuse to jeopardize my eyes."

The Engels have chosen to share their story publicly in hopes of preventing similar outcomes for others.

"Do the research for yourselves to make sure that my catastrophic injuries do not happen to you or anybody else," Engel urged. "If we can help one person, then that's a pleasure to Shelley and I."

Company Response

Novo Nordisk has disputed that Ozempic causes NAION, stating that the available evidence does not establish a causal relationship between semaglutide and the eye condition. Liz Skrbkova, head of U.S. Media and Stakeholder Relations for Novo Nordisk, told Fox News Digital that a causal relationship cannot be confirmed based on the totality of data. The company pointed to an analysis of its clinical trials that found very few confirmed cases of NAION and no increased incidence among patients taking semaglutide. Novo Nordisk stated that it continues to monitor NAION as part of its routine drug-safety surveillance and that it believes the personal injury lawsuits filed in the U.S. are without merit and is defending them in court.