Parker Waichman LLP Client and Attorney Jason Goldstein Featured in NBC News Report on GLP-1 Drugs and Vision Loss

Parker Waichman LLP client Diane Wirth and Senior Litigation Counsel Jason S. Goldstein were recently featured in an NBC News report examining lawsuits alleging that popular GLP-1 medications may be associated with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a serious condition that can cause sudden and permanent vision loss.

Wirth is among hundreds of people who have filed lawsuits against manufacturers of GLP-1 medications. The lawsuits allege that patients were not adequately warned about the potential risk of NAION and vision loss associated with the drugs. The manufacturers dispute the allegations.

Parker Waichman Client Diane Wirth Shares Her Experience With NBC News

Wirth, a 66-year-old former nurse practitioner from Georgia, told NBC News that she was taking Wegovy for weight loss when she suddenly lost vision in her right eye.

According to NBC News, Wirth went to bed with normal vision and woke the next morning unable to see properly from the affected eye. She was later diagnosed with NAION.

Wirth described the remaining vision in her right eye as similar to looking through glasses smeared with petroleum jelly. Although she can detect light, she cannot read with the eye and has problems with depth perception.

The vision loss has significantly affected her daily life. NBC reported that Wirth stopped driving, retired early, and has become more dependent on others for everyday activities.

Wirth told NBC News that she would not have taken Wegovy if she had known about the alleged potential for permanent vision loss.

Jason Goldstein Discusses GLP-1 NAION Litigation

NBC News also spoke with Wirth’s attorney, Jason S. Goldstein, Senior Litigation Counsel at Parker Waichman LLP.

Goldstein told NBC that Parker Waichman represents at least 150 people who have been diagnosed with NAION after taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss or Type 2 diabetes.

NAION occurs when blood flow to the optic nerve is disrupted. The condition generally causes sudden, painless vision loss and can result in permanent damage.

“It’s a devastating condition,” Goldstein told NBC News. He also stated that drug labeling should be updated to address the alleged risk.

Goldstein holds a leadership position in the federal litigation involving GLP-1 medications and NAION. In February 2026, U.S. District Judge Karen S. Marston appointed him Co-Chair of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee and Federal-State Court Liaison in MDL No. 3163.

The multidistrict litigation centralizes federal lawsuits involving allegations that GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, caused NAION and that manufacturers failed to adequately warn patients and healthcare providers about the alleged risk.

Research Continues Into GLP-1 Medications and NAION

Scientific research into a potential association between GLP-1 medications and NAION continues to develop.

NBC News reported that multiple studies have identified an association between GLP-1 use and an increased relative risk of NAION. However, experts emphasize that NAION remains rare and that an association does not establish that these medications cause the condition.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society have also reviewed the developing evidence. Available research suggests semaglutide may be associated with an increased relative risk of NAION, although questions about causation and the magnitude of the risk remain.

Novo Nordisk told NBC News that it believes the personal injury lawsuits filed in the United States are without merit and that it is vigorously defending them.

Parker Waichman LLP Continues to Represent People With GLP-1 Vision Loss Claims

Parker Waichman LLP represents individuals who allege that they developed NAION and permanent vision loss after using GLP-1 medications.

The national attention given to Wirth’s experience highlights the potentially life-changing consequences of sudden vision loss and the importance of continuing to investigate the alleged association between GLP-1 medications and NAION.

If you developed NAION or suffered serious vision loss after taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, or another GLP-1 medication, contact Parker Waichman LLP to learn more about your legal options. We offer free consultations.

We have seven convenient locations around New York and New Jersey near you, in New York City, Melville, Queens, Brooklyn, West Orange, and Port Washington.

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