Could popular GLP‑1 weight loss drugs also protect your vision as you age? New research says yes. A 10‑year study from Oregon Health & Science University followed more than 90,000 adults over 55 who did not have diabetes. Half were taking GLP‑1 medications for weight loss, and half were on other weight‑loss drugs. Researchers found that those using GLP‑1s had a dramatically lower risk of developing dry age‑related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. After five years, their risk was 84% lower. After 10 years, it dropped to 91%.
Importantly, these results apply only to people without diabetes. Researchers suspect reduced inflammation may play a role, and early evidence hints that GLP‑1s might also lower the risk of cataracts. But experts caution that it’s far too soon to use these medications to prevent eye disease.