What is the NAION safety issue with semaglutide?
In June 2025 the EMA concluded that NAION — an eye condition causing sudden vision loss — is a very rare semaglutide side effect with a roughly two-fold increased risk; US labels still did not include a warning as of August 2026.
NAION (non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy) is an eye condition that can cause sudden, usually irreversible vision loss. In June 2025 the European Medicines Agency's safety committee concluded that NAION is a very rare side effect of semaglutide, affecting up to 1 in 10,000 users, and that large studies suggested roughly a two-fold increased risk in adults with type 2 diabetes.
European product information for Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy was updated on September 30, 2025, and the WHO issued an alert. According to a plaintiff firm's litigation update, US labels still did not include a NAION warning as of August 2026, and product liability suits cite that gap. Novo has maintained that semaglutide's benefit-risk profile remains positive.