Jay Vandegriff, a 70-year-old grandfather, is suing Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, claiming the diabetes medication left him partially blind in one eye. He is one of more than 200 people taking legal action against the company over alleged sight loss.
Diagnosis and vision loss
Vandegriff, who works in financial software, was prescribed the GLP-1 medication in 2023 to manage his blood glucose (A1C) levels as part of his type 2 diabetes treatment. He found the jabs helpful until Christmas Day 2024, when he noticed a "smudge" in his left eye and saw an ophthalmologist the next day.
After a "barrage of tests," he was diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), an optic nerve stroke caused by a lack of blood flow that can lead to sudden and irreversible vision loss. At the time, NAION was not listed as a side effect on the label of the medication manufactured by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.
Vandegriff says the ophthalmologist told him to stop taking Ozempic as it could be the cause. He stopped, but his eyesight continued to worsen for several weeks. He has been left with just 33% vision in one eye, lost most of his depth perception, and can no longer fish, struggles to read screens, or safely go skiing.
Legal action and FDA announcement
Vandegriff is among over 100 plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against Novo Nordisk through law firm Weitz & Luxenberg over vision loss without being warned of the risks. More than 100 additional cases related to the same issue are pending from other law firms in New Jersey Superior Court.
On Monday, November 9, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the risk of NAION must now be mentioned on labels for GLP-1 medications.
Vandegriff, from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, said: "My vision loss was a sudden event, there wasn't any graduality to it. I felt great on Christmas Day and then all of a sudden there was this smudge on my eye, like when you stare at the sun too long. It got worse for about six weeks before it stopped, and it took over two thirds of the bottom portion of my eye."
He added: "It has been pretty frustrating, devastating really. I've had to buy a bigger screen to work because I start seeing double and I need to take breaks. I'm now restricted on when I can go skiing and can't go if it's cloudy or foggy, because I worry about my safety."
Impact on daily life
Vandegriff started taking Ozempic in August 2023. He said he researched the side effects and was happy to take the medication, but vision loss from NAION was not listed as a risk, which remains the case in the U.S.
He said: "I first thought it was a smear on my glasses, but I took them off, cleaned them, and realised it was still there. It was like an opaque smudge, and the next day, it was a lot darker and bigger. I was told nothing would bring the vision back, and it continued to get worse for another six weeks."
Vandegriff had to stop fly-fishing as he could no longer thread the line through the fly. He is now limited in when he can go skiing, after moving to Coeur d'Alene decades earlier specifically for its proximity to a ski resort, and is unable to drive in fog and bumps into things in daily life.
He said: "I walk through a grocery store and bump into people because I don't see them coming. Sometimes they get mad, like 'what's wrong with you?' People said my brain would adjust but it never has. The little things add up, like I can't even use a Phillips screwdriver now."
The grandfather-of-three and father-of-two is supported in daily tasks by his wife Susie, 69. A friend put him in touch with Danielle Gold, an attorney at Weitz & Luxenberg, who now represents his case.
Regulatory actions and next steps
Danielle Gold said: "We filed Jay's case a few months ago and we now have over 100 cases we've filed with around another 100 to 150 pending in the New Jersey Superior Court in Bergen County. This is obviously a very serious and life-altering injury. It's not transient, and there is no treatment."
In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a Drug Safety Update in February stating that semaglutide drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, can be associated with NAION. It warned that people taking these medications should urgently visit A&E if their eyesight changes rapidly in one or both eyes. Other countries had already done the same, but the FDA only followed suit this week, mandating NAION to be listed as a possible risk.
Gold said: "We are seeking compensation because this injury will not improve and has impacted Jay's ability to work and his independence. US companies have an obligation to adequately warn people on the risks of their medications, and the injuries resulted, in this case, from a failure to warn."
Speaking of the FDA announcement, Gold added: "A label change does not end the litigation, but it is certainly positive news for us and helps with our failure to warn claim."
Vandegriff added: "I look at myself in the mirror and I don't look dismembered, but I feel dismembered. It's made me do this because I want to help other people, to let them know that there are potential side effects beyond what is currently being warned against. It's confounding to me how immensely popular these drugs have become. I don't want anyone else to go through what I've gone through."
The next step in the case is an upcoming hearing on a motion to dismiss filed by Novo Nordisk, which Gold says they "anticipate prevailing and defeating."
A Novo Nordisk spokesperson said: "Novo believes the personal injury lawsuits filed in the U.S. are without merit and is vigorously defending them. Novo is aware of reports and epidemiological data concerning non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in patients treated with semaglutide. The available clinical, epidemiological and post-marketing data are being continuously assessed, and a causal relationship between semaglutide and NAION has not been established. Patient safety is a top priority for Novo and we take all reports of adverse events associated with our medicines very seriously, collaborating closely with health authorities and regulatory bodies worldwide."
