Todd Engel, a 63-year-old Maryland resident, claims that the diabetes medication Ozempic caused him to lose his sight in both eyes. The Denmark-based manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, denies that the drug causes the condition, stating that available evidence does not establish a causal link.
Engel was prescribed Ozempic in 2023 to manage type 2 diabetes. The medication, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, is also commonly used off-label for weight loss. Approximately four months after starting the drug, Engel was diagnosed with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION. This condition involves reduced blood flow to the optic nerve, which can result in sudden and permanent vision loss. Engel described the initial onset as occurring on New Year's Eve 2024, when he noticed his right eye was completely dark.
Despite being referred to Johns Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute for testing, Engel continued taking the medication. According to his family, neither he nor his doctors were aware of a potential association between semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, and NAION. About 10 months later, Engel lost vision in his left eye. Doctors informed him that no medication or surgical procedure could restore his sight. Engel stopped taking the drug immediately after the second incident.
Engel has filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, alleging that the company failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about the risk of vision loss. He is part of a group of hundreds of patients pursuing legal action against manufacturers of GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy. These lawsuits generally claim that manufacturers did not provide sufficient warnings about potential risks, though a definitive causal relationship between the drugs and NAION has not been established.
The vision loss has ended Engel’s 40-year career as a heavy equipment operator and truck driver for Howard County Highways. He previously held a commercial driver's license for nearly four decades. Engel now relies on a white cane to navigate outdoors and counts steps to move through his home. His wife, Shelley Engel, said the incident has altered every aspect of their family life. Engel stated that if he had been warned about the potential link between the drug and vision loss, he would have refused to take it.
Novo Nordisk disputed the claim that its medication causes NAION. Liz Skrbkova, head of U.S. Media and Stakeholder Relations for Novo Nordisk, told Fox News Digital that a causal relationship between GLP-1 receptor agonists and NAION cannot be confirmed based on current data. The company pointed to an analysis of its randomized clinical trials which found very few confirmed cases of NAION and no increased incidence among patients taking semaglutide. Novo Nordisk said it continues to monitor NAION as part of its routine drug-safety surveillance and believes the personal injury lawsuits filed in the U.S. are without merit.