GLP-1 RAs reduce glaucoma risk in patients without diabetes

Patients without diabetes who use GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs) display a lower risk of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension than those who use other weight-loss therapies at 3- and 5-year intervals, a study has shown.

A team of investigators conducted a retrospective cohort study of the TriNetX research network by analysing international health record data from January through December 2024. They identified patients without diabetes who had been diagnosed with overweight or obesity and were treated with either GLP-1 RAs or other weight-loss medications (eg, orlistat, setmelanotide, bupropion-naltrexone).

Assessment for the risk of POAG and ocular hypertension was performed at 3 and 5 years. The investigators conducted propensity score matching (PSM) between cohorts matched for baseline demographics, comorbidities, and medication use. They also calculated risk ratios (RRs) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs).

Both cohorts consisted of 61,057 patients after PSM. The GLP-1 RA group exhibited a significantly lower risk of POAG and ocular hypertension at both 3 and 5 years of follow-up.

Specifically, the risk of developing POAG was lower by 50.4 percent at 3 years (RR, 0.496, 95 percent CI, 0.371–0.664) and by 58.5 percent (RR, 0.415, 95 percent CI, 0.316–0.545) at 5 years. Furthermore, the risk of developing ocular hypertension was 55.9-percent lower at 3 years (RR, 0.441, 95 percent CI, 0.318–0.611) and 65.8-percent lower at 5 years (RR, 0.342, 95 percent CI, 0.250–0.466).