Maryland man says Ozempic caused blindness, diagnosed with NAION

Todd Engel, a 63-year-old Maryland man, says he lost his vision after starting the GLP-1 medication Ozempic and has been diagnosed with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, the condition often called an “eye stroke.” Engel told Fox News Digital, as reported by the New York Post, that he first noticed loss of sight in his right eye on New Year’s Eve, 2024, and that about 10 months later he experienced sudden vision loss in his left eye.

He described the change as catastrophic for him and his family and said it has left him legally blind. Engel said he was first prescribed Ozempic in 2023 to manage his diabetes.

According to the New York Post article, Engel received a diagnosis of NAION roughly four months after beginning the drug; the outlet states that NAION involves reduced blood flow to the optic nerve and can cause sudden, permanent vision loss.

Engel sought additional evaluation and was referred for further testing, including at Johns Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute, the Post reports. The New York Post says Engel is one of hundreds of patients currently pursuing legal action against makers of GLP-1 medications, including the manufacturers of Ozempic and Wegovy, alleging the drugs caused NAION.

Engel told the outlet he wants to warn other users; he described concrete effects on his daily life, saying he can no longer safely navigate the stairs in his home because of his loss of sight. The Post quotes Engel saying the loss was not gradual but taken from him, which he called catastrophic.

Other outlets’ headlines also report Engel’s lawsuit and claim of blindness after Ozempic use, including azat.tv, SuaraGarut.ID, The Eastern Herald and Fox News, which is cited as the interview source in the Post article.

The available reporting in the Post focuses on Engel’s personal account, his medical diagnosis as stated there, and his referral for further testing; it does not include a statement from the drugmaker or independent medical confirmation beyond the diagnosis reported.

Engel’s account in the New York Post includes dates he provided (a 2023 prescription start, New Year’s Eve, 2024 onset in the right eye, and left-eye loss about 10 months later) and situates his claim within a broader set of legal actions by patients alleging similar eye injuries after GLP-1 medication use.

The Post describes NAION in clinical terms and reports Engel’s referral to Johns Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute for further evaluation.

The reporting leaves medical causation and any company response unconfirmed in the public record provided here; what is documented in the article is Engel’s diagnosis, his description of when and how his vision deteriorated, his referral for further testing, and his participation in legal action alongside other plaintiffs.