Published September 30, 2026
A man from Dedham, Massachusetts, has filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk claiming that Ozempic, which he took during 2024 and 2025, caused him to lose his sight in both eyes. According to Boston.com's September 28, 2026 report, Edward Gillen says he developed non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION — a condition in which reduced blood flow damages the optic nerve — and that the resulting vision loss is permanent.
Gillen's complaint centers on a failure-to-warn theory. He alleges that Novo Nordisk did not adequately disclose the risk of vision loss tied to semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, and that marketing of GLP-1 drugs gave him an unwarranted sense of confidence in their safety. He says he would not have used the drug had the risk been properly communicated.
The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania as part of the federal multidistrict litigation dedicated to GLP-1 vision-loss claims (MDL 3163), which is overseen by Judge Karen S. Marston. That MDL is separate from the larger GLP-1 litigation over gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal injuries. MDL tracking data showed 216 NAION cases pending as of September 1, 2026.
Novo Nordisk told Boston.com the lawsuits lack merit and pointed to semaglutide's established safety record, including a pooled analysis of its clinical trials, published this year in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, that the company says found no higher rate of NAION than placebo. On the other side, research led by Dr. Joseph Rizzo of Mass General Brigham has suggested a possible link between semaglutide and elevated NAION risk. The American Academy of Ophthalmology has characterized the risk as low and not yet confirmed.
That scientific dispute is likely to be the central battleground in the MDL. Individual allegations like Gillen's have not been proven, and no GLP-1 vision-loss case has gone to trial or settled. For background on how these claims were consolidated, see our earlier coverage of the creation of the GLP-1 NAION MDL.
If you or a loved one experienced sudden vision loss or a NAION diagnosis after taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or another GLP-1 medication, see Atumio's Ozempic/GLP-1 case page for a free eligibility review, or start your case review directly.