Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41453515›Full record

ArticleOphthalmology. Retina2026

Rate of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Patients Prescribed Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists or Other Weight Loss Therapies.

Walter K Myers, Garrett Heath, Bärbel Rohrer

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Ophthalmology. Retina, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Obesity and Eye Diseases.Nutrients · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Walter K MyersCollege of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina; Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina. Electronic address: myerswal@musc.edu.
Garrett HeathCollege of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.
Bärbel RohrerDepartment of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina; Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina; Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.

Funding

Cellular, Biochemical and Molecular Sciences Training Program: Developing the skills and expertise needed for a changing biomedical landscapeT32GM132055 · NIGMS · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI Amy D Bradshaw, John P O'Bryan · 2019 to 2026
$3.9M
Sex and Gender Supplement to Elastase and Elastin Peptide Activity in Age-Related Macular DegenerationR01EY030072 · NEI · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI ROHRER, BAERBEL · 2020 to 2024
$1.9M
BLRD VA I01 BX003050BLRD VA IK6 BX004858NEI NIH HHS R01 EY030072NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM132055RRD VA I01 RX000444
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo compare the hazard of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among nondiabetic, weight loss-eligible adults prescribed glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs; semaglutide or liraglutide) versus other weight loss (OWL) pharmacotherapies (phentermine, orlistat, setmelanotide, phentermine-topiramate, or bupropion-naltrexone).

designRetrospective cohort study.

participantsAdults aged ≥50 years without diabetes who met the criteria for weight loss pharmacotherapy and were prescribed GLP-1 RAs or OWL medications were included. Before matching, 60 336 patients were included in the GLP-1 RA group and 21 609 in the OWL cohort; after matching, 20 959 patients remained in each cohort.

methodsCohorts were constructed using de-identified data from the TriNetX Research Network (June 2021-October 2025). Nondiabetic status was defined as the absence of a diabetes mellitus diagnosis, hemoglobin A1c ≥6.5%, or metformin or insulin use. Patients met criteria for weight loss pharmacotherapy with documentation of an obesity diagnosis, body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m

main outcome measuresHazard ratios (HRs) of nonexudative AMD, exudative AMD, and any AMD (exudative, nonexudative, or unspecified). Changes in BMI and hemoglobin A1c were analyzed to contextualize findings.

resultsCompared with OWL pharmacotherapies, GLP-1 RAs were associated with a lower hazard of nonexudative AMD (HR, 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28-0.78) and any AMD (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.43-0.85), with no difference for exudative AMD (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.30-1.32). Body mass index and hemoglobin A1c were similar over follow-up.

conclusionsAmong nondiabetic adults aged ≥50 years eligible for weight loss pharmacotherapy, prescriptions for GLP-1 RAs were associated with a lower incidence of nonexudative and any (nonexudative, exudative, or unspecified) AMD diagnoses compared with OWL medications. The difference in new exudative AMD diagnoses was not statistically significant. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Indexed as

Anti-Obesity AgentsGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsMacular DegenerationObesityWeight LossAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansHypoglycemic AgentsIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesAnti-Obesity AgentsGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsHypoglycemic AgentsAMDGLP-1NondiabeticTriNetXWeight loss

Identifiers

PMID41453515
PMCPMC12768466

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.