- The weight loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound, which contain the active ingredient tirzepatide, may reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy.
- This diabetes complication occurs when high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye.
- Diabetes also increases the risk of other eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.
The types of drugs commonly prescribed to manage type 2 diabetes may also help reduce your risk of developing eye diseases, such as: loss of vision.
Researchers said patients with type 2 diabetes were less likely to develop new diabetic retinopathy or progress to more dangerous stages of the disease while taking the drug tirzepatide.
“Based on our findings from a large database of patients across multiple clinical practices, patients with diabetic retinopathy may be less concerned that taking tirzepatide will worsen their symptoms,” he said. szilard kissM.D., an ophthalmologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and the study’s lead author. statement.
“The results of this study suggest that the risk of needing further eye treatment with lasers or injections, which is typically required when retinopathy becomes severe, may be reduced,” Dr. Kiss said. board of directors of Advelum Biotechnologiesowned by Eli Lilly, makers of Mounjaro and Zepbound.
In the new study, researchers found that previously the study They suggested weight loss drugs such as: Ozempic and wegobee May worsen diabetic retinopathy and related symptoms.
Previous research has found that Semaglutide The drug temporarily worsened diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.
However, those researchers reported that the effect was short-term and there was no long-term association between semaglutide and increased progression of diabetic retinopathy during the 3-year study period.
To arrive at their results, researchers in the new study analyzed the electronic health records of 174,000 people across 70 health systems in the United States.
They focused on participants with type 2 diabetes who: weight management In this issue, we compared patients who started tirzepatide with similar patients who only pursued lifestyle interventions such as nutritional therapy and exercise counseling.
Researchers reported that after one year of treatment, subjects who took tirzepatide had a lower risk of worsening diabetic retinopathy or related complications than those who took lifestyle interventions.
As an example, the researchers said mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy occurred in 0.49% of tirzepatide patients compared to 1.2% in the lifestyle intervention group.
benjamin bartM.D., an ophthalmologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., said there may be a simple explanation for the effects of the drugs tirzepatide and semaglutide on diabetic retinopathy. Burt was not involved in this study.
Dr. Burt explained that both types of drugs help suppress the body’s appetite and hunger response by mimicking the body’s natural GLP-1 hormone. It also helps manage blood sugar levels.
Adrian OhM.D., an ophthalmologist at UCLA Health in Los Angeles who was not involved in the study, agreed that low blood sugar levels are an important factor in diabetic retinopathy. However, he noted that there may be short-term risks.
“Concerns about semaglutide are primarily related to lowering blood sugar levels, which may temporarily worsen retinopathy in people who already have advanced disease,” Oh told Healthline. “This phenomenon has been observed previously with intensive glucose control. [the] Popularization of GLP-1 drugs. ”
“The problem is likely less about the harmful effects of the drug and more about how quickly blood sugar levels improve,” he added. “In the long run, the better blood sugar control are associated with improved retinal outcomes, so these short-term findings may not negatively impact long-term risks. ”
Tirzepatide mimics the GLP-1 hormone, leading to what the study authors state. explained As a “bigger improvement” insulin sensitivityweight loss and metabolic inflammation. ”
“That’s encouraging, but the question is always how these drugs work in the long term.”
Oh cautioned that the new study results are preliminary. “This is observational data, so it’s not a cause-and-effect relationship; it doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship,” Oh said.
2021 research published in
Researchers found that 26% of people with this condition also have diabetes. They estimated that nearly 2 million people have vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy.
They also noted that the number of people living with diabetic retinopathy has increased significantly since 2004. They predicted that the prevalence would continue to increase in the coming decades due to the increasing number of diabetes cases.
diabetic retinopathy It is an eye disease that can occur in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It occurs when the retina at the back of the eye is damaged.
The disease usually causes mild vision loss at first, but some people with the disease eventually lose their vision.
Diabetes can affect the retina if: hyperglycemia Damages blood vessels in the eye.
American Diabetes Association (ADA) state Diabetic retinopathy is considered the most common cause of preventable blindness in the United States. It is also the most common eye disease for diabetics.
Symptoms rarely appear in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. If symptoms occur, they may include:
treatment method For diabetic retinopathy, the focus is usually on managing blood sugar levels and general health conditions associated with diabetes. Treatments include injections, laser therapy, and surgery. eye drops Eye drops may be prescribed to relieve symptoms, but they do not target the underlying vascular damage.
People at risk for diabetic retinopathy are recommended to: eat healthyif you smoke, stop smoking and consume moderate amounts on a regular basis. exercise.
Oh said simply losing weight can have overall benefits and improve eye health.
“Continuing to lose weight will improve your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, all of which are key drivers of overall health,” he explained.
Elevated blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can cause symptoms such as: number of eye diseases This is because blood vessels near the eyes are damaged.
More severe cases of diabetic retinopathy may also cause the following symptoms: angiogenesisa condition in which the body forms new blood vessels in the retina. These new blood vessels can increase intraocular pressure and damage the optic nerve, leading to decreased vision and even blindness.
a recent research Conclusion that type 2 diabetes treatment drugs are effective metformin May help manage age-related macular degeneration.
Bart encouraged people to: type 2 diabetes Get your eyes checked regularly for diseases.
“Everyone with diabetes dilated eye exam Once a year,” he recommended.
Burt added that people with type 2 diabetes who notice a sudden change in vision should see an eye doctor immediately.
Orr said regular check-ups and maintaining overall health are the best ways to maintain retinal health.
“Manage your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and get regular dilated eye exams,” he said. “When starting strong hypoglycemic drugs, especially in cases of pre-existing diabetic retinopathy, consider close short-term ocular monitoring during the first few months of treatment.”