GLP-1 receptor agonists linked to modestly increased risk for incident DR, but tied to reduced risk for certain complications of DR<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — 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<\/em>.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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).<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n