GLP-1 Drugs Linked to Lower AMD Risk, but No Effect on Disease Progression

By Dr. Kevin -

 A national TriNetX database study published in Ophthalmology Retina found that patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists had a significantly lower risk of developing both dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to those using other glucose- or lipid-lowering drugs. However, these medications did not influence the rate of conversion from non-neovascular (dry) to neovascular (wet) AMD among patients who already had the condition.

Using data from nearly 120 million patients, researchers applied rigorous propensity matching to control for factors like chronic disease and metabolic severity. Over one to three years, GLP-1 drug use was linked to roughly 20–25% lower hazard ratios for developing dry AMD and a consistent reduction in risk for wet AMD across all time points.

The authors suggested that the apparent protective effect may result from both biological and healthcare access factors—patients on GLP-1 drugs might have more regular medical care and earlier AMD detection. Still, the study had limitations, including lack of detailed eye-specific data, uncertain AMD staging, and possible coding and socioeconomic biases. The researchers called for future eye-specific or prospective trials to confirm these findings as GLP-1 drug use continues to grow rapidly.

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