Research Summary

Semaglutide May Not Worsen Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients Using The Medication

Jessica Ganga

In November 2023, researchers presented the results of a study, which found that the widely-used diabetes medication—semaglutide—rarely causes diabetic retinopathy or worsens existing diabetic retinopathy in patients who are using the medication. Their findings were presented at AAO 2023 in San Francisco, California.

Researchers used the Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS® Registry) to evaluate data from more than 48,000 adults with type 2 diabetes who were being treated with injectable semaglutide. Study participants were aged between 51 and 75 years old and were treated between 2013 and 2021.

After 2 years of treatment, researchers found that only 2.2% of eyes with no or background diabetic retinopathy experienced a worsening of diabetic retinopathy. In patients with mild or moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (early-stage of disease), 3.5% of eyes showed a worsening of diabetic retinopathy. Further, about 60% of eyes with advanced disease experienced an improvement in their diabetic retinopathy.

Although the results of the study are promising, the study’s lead author Zeeshan Haq, MD, a Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellow at Retina Consultants of Minnesota, noted a few limitations in the study.

“This study has significant limitations including its retrospective observational design, lack of a control group, and a lack of pre- and post-initiation of semaglutide comparisons,” Dr Haq said in a press release. “In particular, the impact of semaglutide initiation on short- and long-term outcomes in potentially high-risk patients, such as those with severe non-proliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy, should be investigated further. Ultimately, diabetic patients who are considering semaglutide should consult with their primary and eye care providers regarding their individual situation.”

 

Reference:

Popular weight loss drug does not appear to worsen diabetic eye disease in most patients, new study suggests. News release. American Academy of Ophthalmology; November 3, 2023. Accessed January 4, 2023. www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/study-weight-loss-drug-doesnt-worsen-eye-disease