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Potential Eye Disorders in People With and Without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Exposed to GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: An

Mya Murray1, Fabrizio Schifano2, Stefania Chiappini3

  • 1From Pharmacy, the Singleton Campus (M.M., A.G.), Swansea University, Wales, UK.

American Journal of Ophthalmology
|December 22, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may increase the risk of eye disorders, including retinopathy and cataracts, in patients with and without Type 2 diabetes. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Endocrinology
  • Pharmacovigilance

Background:

  • Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are increasingly prescribed for Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and weight management.
  • Adverse drug reactions associated with GLP-1RAs are being identified, but their impact on ocular health requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between GLP-1RA use and the incidence of eye disorders.
  • To compare the reporting of eye disorders in patients with and without T2DM using GLP-1RAs.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective disproportionality analysis of the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database.
  • Utilized Python 3.11 to analyze FAERS data from January 2017 to September 2025, focusing on GLP-1RA reports.
  • Calculated Reporting Odds Ratios (RORs) with 95% confidence intervals, using metformin and orlistat as controls.

Main Results:

  • Semaglutide use was associated with increased reporting of optic neuropathy, cataracts, and retinopathy in T2DM patients.
  • Tirzepatide use showed increased reporting of optic neuropathy and macular degeneration in T2DM patients, and eye swelling in non-T2DM patients.
  • Liraglutide use demonstrated increased reporting of cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration in T2DM patients, and cataracts and macular degeneration in non-T2DM patients.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest a signal of increased reporting for various eye disorders with GLP-1RA use compared to metformin.
  • Further research is warranted to validate these signals and establish biological causality for GLP-1RA-associated eye disorders.

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