Health
GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Lower AMD Risk
Health Points
- GLP-1 weight loss medications may reduce risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
- Recent research found GLP-1 users had a much lower chance of developing dry AMD over 10 years.
- Experts emphasize these results show association, not proof of cause and effect.
A new study suggests that adults using GLP-1 medications like semaglutide or liraglutide for weight loss have a reduced risk of developing a common type of vision loss known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Among people without diabetes, those who took GLP-1s were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with AMD than those using other weight loss medications.
AMD affects around 20 million Americans and remains the leading cause of irreversible vision loss as people age.
About 2 percent of people in their early 40s have early signs of AMD, while 35 percent of those over 85 are affected.
The study tracked roughly 91,000 participants aged 55 and older for up to a decade, comparing GLP-1 users to people taking other prescription weight loss drugs.
After five years, participants using a GLP-1 had an 84 percent lower risk of developing dry AMD, with the risk reduction reaching 91 percent after ten years.
“We were quite surprised by the strength of the association between GLP-1 medication use and the lower risk of developing macular degeneration,” says Benjamin Young, MD, an ophthalmology specialist at OHSU Health in Oregon.
The reduced risk was observed even after researchers accounted for age, gender, race, smoking, and other lifestyle factors.
However, experts stress that this study was observational, showing a link but not definite proof of prevention.
“We can’t say that these medications directly caused the reduction in AMD risk. The findings suggest a possible link that should be tested in a randomized clinical trial,” says Young.
Dr. Aleksandra Rachitskaya of Cleveland Clinic notes that more research, including placebo-controlled trials, is needed to confirm these promising findings.
“These results are exciting, but it is too early to draw conclusions,” says Rachitskaya.
Notably, the use of GLP-1s did not appear to protect against the faster-developing wet form of AMD.
Some studies in people with diabetes even suggested a possible higher risk for wet AMD in GLP-1 users, making more investigation essential.
Both Young and Rachitskaya agree that GLP-1s may lower inflammation inside the eye, which could partly explain the observed benefits.
“We also recently published that GLP-1s might reduce incidence of cataracts, which we also speculate may be related to reduced ocular inflammation,” says Young.
Despite these interesting associations, experts caution that it’s premature for GLP-1 medications to be recommended specifically for eye health.
“I don’t think this study should play any role in physicians recommending weight loss drugs to prevent macular degeneration. If a patient asks if it’s safe to take if they think they are at risk for macular degeneration, I think these results might help physicians suggest it is likely safe to take in that situation,” says Young.
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