GLP-1 Drugs May Greatly Lower AMD Risk in Obese, Nondiabetic Adults—but Experts Urge Caution

By Dr. Kevin -

 

A large JAMA Ophthalmology study of more than 90,000 obese, nondiabetic adults found that those using GLP-1 receptor agonists—such as liraglutide and semaglutide—had an over 80% lower risk of developing nonexudative (dry) AMD compared with users of other weight-loss medications. At 5, 7, and 10 years, GLP-1 users had risk reductions of 83%, 87%, and 91%, respectively.

Researchers suggest that GLP-1 drugs may have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in the retina, independent of blood sugar control. However, they noted that the study was retrospective and relied on electronic health record coding, meaning results could be affected by selection and documentation bias.

An invited commentary praised the study’s scale but warned that the magnitude of benefit seemed unusually large and may reflect methodological issues, such as incomplete screening for AMD and reliance on coding rather than clinical exams. Experts concluded that while GLP-1 drugs have clear health benefits for weight and diabetes management, their impact on AMD should be interpreted with caution until prospective clinical trials confirm the findings.

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