Keep your eye on more benefits from certain weight loss drugs (Roizen article)

Chances are you’ve heard that the GLP-1s called semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and liraglutide (Victoza and Saxenda), used for weight management and/or control of Type 2 diabetes, are also good for heart health, glucose control, reducing fatty liver disease, and lowering blood pressure. Now two new studies indicate they’re also associated with a reduced risk of cataracts and age-related dry macular degeneration (AMD).

The first, published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, found that folks taking semaglutide or liraglutide were significantly less likely to develop age-related cataracts over the span of 10 years compared to people taking non-GLP-1 weight-loss drugs or not taking any at all.

In the second study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, primary analysis shows that for folks without diabetes, GLP-1s reduce the risk of developing dry AMD by around 84%, 87% and 91% over five-, seven- and 10-year time periods, compared to folks on non-GLP-1 weight-loss meds.

So, if you’re at risk for cataracts or AMD, talk to your ophthalmologist about the potential benefits of these medications. The National Eye Institute also suggests that if you smoke, quit (for help, go to smokefree.gov); stay healthy with a plant-based diet and plenty of physical activity; use sunglasses; wear protective eyewear when playing sports; and don’t be glued to a digital screen. Take a break every 20 minutes to look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Also, take 1,100 milligrams daily of DHA omega-3.