Key Summary
- MHRA has updated semaglutide information to include a rare risk of vision loss.
- The risk is extremely small, but cannot be ignored.
- Patients and clinicians should watch for sudden vision changes and seek advice quickly.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has revised the product information of semaglutide on Thursday (5), indicating a rare risk of vision loss.
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) to help patients with type 2 diabetes. It is also prescribed for weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction among obese patients.
The latest update is regarding a very rare occurrence of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in patients.
It is a rare condition that happens due to reduced blood flow into the front portion of the optic nerve, which results in sudden and painless vision loss in one eye.
“While the potential risk of NAION for patients prescribed semaglutide is extremely small, it is important that patients and healthcare professionals are alert to the associated symptoms,” said Dr Alison Cave, MHRA’s chief safety officer.
In the UK, between 2018 and 1 August 2025, the Yellow Card scheme has received three spontaneous reports suggestive of NAION associated with semaglutide.
It is estimated in the past five year around 10.2 million packs of semaglutide have been dispensed.
Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy are some of the popular names under which semaglutide is available in the market today.
