GLPwatch
Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Use and Risk of Cataract Development.
Am J Ophthalmol · 2026
Last updated 2026-05-28A study of 55+ year-old overweight or obese adults found that those taking GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide or liraglutide had a lower risk of developing age-related cataracts over 5, 7, and 10 years compared to those taking other weight-loss drugs or no weight-loss drugs. The risk was 72% lower at 5 years, 73% lower at 7 years, and 80% lower at 10 years when compared to other weight-loss drugs, and 39% lower at 5 years, 50% lower at 7 years, and 56% lower at 10 years when compared to no weight-loss drugs.
AI summary of the abstract below.
| Journal | Am J Ophthalmol, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Citations | 3 |
| Molecules | — |
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of developing age-related cataract among nondiabetic patients who are overweight or obese prescribed glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) compared to other weight loss drugs (OWLD).
DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network.
SUBJECTS: Overweight or obese patients aged 55 years and greater were included. Patients with a diabetes mellitus or prior age-related cataract were excluded.
METHODS: Patients in the GLP-1RA group were prescribed either semaglutide or liraglutide. Patients in the OWLD group were lorcaserin, setmelanotide, diethylpropion, sibutramine, fenfluramine, mazindol, phentermine, or orlistat A third cohort included patients not prescribed any weight loss medications. Propensity score matching was performed to minimize baseline differences between cohorts.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was development of age-related cataract at 5-, 7-, and 10-year intervals. Risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals and corresponding P-values were reported. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated to assess covariate balance.
RESULTS: In the primary analysis of GLP-1RA vs OWLD usage, covariate balance was achieved across all matched variables with SMDs < 0.2. In this primary analysis, GLP-1RA use was associated with a decreased risk of age-related cataract at 5 (RR: 0.278; 95% CI: 0.246-0.314; P < .0001), 7 (RR: 0.269; 95% CI: 0.241-0.299; P < .0001), and 10 (RR: 0.198; 95% CI: 0.176-0.222; P < .0001) years compared to OWLD use. GLP-1RA use was also associated with decreased risk at 5 (RR: 0.605; 95% CI: 0.553-0.661; P < .0001), 7 (RR: 0.499; 95% CI: 0.458-0.542; P < .0001), and 10 (RR: 0.437; 95% CI: 0.403-0.475; P < .0001) years compared to no drug use. Conversely, OWLD use was associated with increased risk at 5 (RR: 2.142; 95% CI: 1.957-2.345; P < .0001), 7 (RR: 2.093; 95% CI: 1.931-2.268; P < .0001) and 10 (RR: 2.111; 95% CI: 1.961-2.273; P < .0001) years compared to no drug use.
CONCLUSIONS: GLP-1RA use was associated with a significantly reduced risk of age-related cataract compared to OWLD use and no pharmacologic treatment. These findings support the need for randomized prospective trials and mechanistic studies to better understand this observed association.
Verbatim abstract via PubMed 41130371 ↗