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GLP-1 Receptor Agonists May Reduce Complications of Diabetic Retinopathy

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 12, 2025.

via HealthDay

TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2025 -- For individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use is associated with a slightly increased risk for incident diabetic retinopathy (DR) and with a reduced risk for certain complications of DR, according to a study published online Aug. 11 in JAMA Network Open.

David J. Ramsey, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., from the UMass Chan-Lahey School of Medicine in Burlington, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study to examine whether use of GLP-1 RAs in patients with T2D is associated with the development of DR, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), or DR complications. Adults with T2D and a recent hemoglobin A1c level of 6.5 percent or higher were enrolled and divided into two groups through propensity score matching, based on whether they received prescriptions for a GLP-1 RA.

After propensity score matching, 185,066 individuals were prescribed GLP-1 RAs. The researchers found that GLP-1 RA use was associated with an increased incidence of DR (hazard ratio, 1.07), while no significant increase was seen in the risk for NAION. In a subgroup analysis of 32,695 patients with preexisting DR, there was no association seen for GLP-1 RAs with proliferative DR or diabetic macular edema, but associations were seen with a lower occurrence of vitreous hemorrhages, neovascular glaucoma, or blindness (hazard ratios, 0.74, 0.78, and 0.77, respectively).

"GLP-1 RAs may be a factor in reduced rate of vision loss leading to blindness, even among individuals with preexisting DR," the authors write. "It is crucial that all patients with T2D treated with GLP-1 RAs, regardless of preexisting DR, receive regular screening and monitoring for potential complications of T2D."

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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