Author: openjargon

• The US is revamping the aircraft at its bases in Japan, the Pentagon announced.
• Dozens of F-35s will replace older aircraft, marking a significant upgrade.
• The boost comes as the US reassesses how its airpower would fare in a conflict with China.

US airpower in the Pacific is about to get a major upgrade, as the Pentagon announced it will be replacing aircraft at some bases in Japan with dozens of F-35 stealth fighters.

The move comes as the US looks at the lethality and survivability of its Pacific aircraft and airfields in a potential conflict with China.

The US Department of Defense released information on its new modernization plan for aircraft based in Japan on Wednesday, noting that the effort will take several years and reflect "over $10 billion of capability investments to enhance the US-Japan alliance, bolster regional deterrence, and strengthen peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."

As part of the plan, the Air Force will replace almost 50 F-15Cs and F-15Ds at Kadena Air Base with 36 F-15EX Eagle II strike fighters. And at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, the number of F-35Bs jump jets — capable of takeoffs from short runways and amphibious assault ships — will be "modified" to further support the US' modernization plan, the press release said.

Perhaps most notably, the US Air Force's presence at Misawa Air Base is getting revamped with 48 F-35A stealth fighters replacing the current 36 F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighters, "leading to greater tactical aircraft capacity and capability," the release added.

Such a move would be a jump forward for the US' airpower in Japan, bringing fifth-generation fighter jets to bases directly in the line of potential conflict with China, adding to the capabilities of the F-22 Raptor fleet at Kadena.

It also signals, as the Pentagon's release said, "The Department's plan to station the Joint Force's most advanced tactical aircraft in Japan demonstrates the ironclad US commitment to the defense of Japan and both countries' shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

It's the most recent sign of how the US and Japan are working together to deter a clash with China.

Back in May, DoD announced the two were jointly developing a defense system to counter hypersonic missiles, which are thought to be nearly impossible for current missile-defense systems to defeat. China, as well as Russia, boast hypersonic missiles in their arsenals; the US is currently working on one of its own.

The US is also working on shoring up its bases in the Pacific against a potential Chinese missile strike, which could feature a massive bombardment that renders US and Japanese aircraft, airfields, and command and control centers useless.

A recent Congressional letter to the Air Force and Navy's top leaders said the US isn't doing enough to protect its Pacific forces from such an attack. Back in May, 13 members of Congress pointed out glaring vulnerabilities in the Pacific, demanding immediate changes.

"With its current strike capabilities," the lawmakers wrote, "China can attack all US bases in the region, targeting US service members from Okinawa to those on US territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands."

• The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort offers a high-end twist on camping. 
• The Disney World property consists of 500-square-foot cabins that sleep up to six. 
• The one-bedroom cabins are about $550 a night and have full kitchens, patios, and other perks.

On Monday, Disney World opened the first phase of The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, a luxurious twist on traditional camping.

Fort Wilderness is one of the Orlando theme park's original lodging options, but the older log cabins have now been replaced with new, colorful ones. (Earlier this year, people could buy the old builds for just under $50,000 a pop.)

Although the property is surrounded by nature and has rustic decor, it also has modern touches and upscale amenities. Plus, it's just a short boat ride away from Magic Kingdom.

Each cabin is about 500 square feet, with one bedroom and one full bathroom. The space sleeps up to six and prices vary but are typically over $500 a night.

As a member of the media, I toured The Cabins before they opened to the public. Here's a look inside.

The Cabins property is located at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.

The colorful new cabins are located at Fort Wilderness, a 750-acre property that's been open since the 1970s.

The outdoorsy resort is home to a more basic campsite, a lodge, five eateries, two pools, and a range of outdoor activities.

Golf-cart rentals are the easiest way to get around the property.

Visitors can explore the Fort Wilderness property on foot, by shuttle, or by personal golf cart. The preferred way to get around the large property seems to be by golf carts, which can be rented for $70 a day.

They can be parked right outside of a cabin and at desired locations, like pools and restaurants. Each cabin is also equipped with an on-site electrical-vehicle charging station.

The cabins are nestled in residential-like streets.

The cabins are located along a set of streets near the front of the resort. Each has a personal grill and parking space on its property.

Aside from color, the cabins look mostly the same on the outside.

Each cabin's private patio has views of the surrounding woodlands and is furnished with a dining table and chairs complete with Mickey Mouse detailing.

Inside, the cabins have rustic but modern designs.

The cabin's main room includes a full kitchen, dining table, living room, and sitting area.

The living room has a TV, sitting area, and a couch that's also a queen-size Murphy bed.

Each kitchen has modern finishes.

Although the cabins have a rustic style, they have modern appliances, including a dishwasher, large refrigerator, full-size oven, microwave, and coffee maker.

The kitchens also come with dishware and other essentials needed for preparing food.

The cabin's main focal point is the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The main living room overlooks the trees and patio through large floor-to-ceiling windows.

A queen bed and a bunk bed take up most of the bedroom.

The main bedroom sleeps up to four with a queen bed and a bunk bed. It has a large TV and storage, including an armoire and drawers below the bunk bed.

The cabin's main bathroom is spacious.

The bathroom has a large walk-in shower, closet space, sink, toilet, and lit-up mirror.

Most, but not all, cabins also have a split sink.

For convenience, most cabins have a second sink and vanity located outside the bathroom, making it possible for multiple people to get ready at the same time.

Disney also uses this split design on its cruise ships.

Artwork carries the theme throughout the space.

Artwork throughout the space honors camping traditions, like canoeing and archery. Guests will also find characters like Chip 'n' Dale and nods to Disney World's opening year, 1971.

Disney Easter eggs are scattered around the cabin, too.

The cabin contains fascinating Disney Easter eggs, like a nod to the former River Country, a water park near Fort Wilderness that closed in 2001.

Guests at The Cabins have access to a range of on-site activities and the theme parks.

Guests at The Cabins have access to Fort Wilderness's complimentary on-site activities, such as the pools, fireside sing-a-longs, and nature trails. Fishing excursions, archery, and horseback riding are available for an added cost.

Plus, the property is home to the popular Hoop-Dee Musical Revue dinner show.

Although the resort feels removed, it has private boat transportation to Magic Kingdom and complimentary shuttle service to other parks and Disney Springs.

Overall, the property combines the great outdoors with some Disney luxury.

Overall, with so much to do on-site and space to dine around the property (and within each cabin), this wilderness-inspired retreat is especially perfect for an untraditional Disney vacation.

The new cabins are available to book, but the property is still a work in progress. Once the full project is complete, the property is set to have 350 freestanding cabins.

The Cabins is also a Disney Vacation Club property, so members of that timeshare program can cash in points at this resort and receive priority bookings.

• There are some must-see movies on Netflix in July.
• "Uncle Buck," "The Sweetest Thing," "Easy A," and "Back to the Future" are all on the streamer.
• There's also the Netflix original, "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F."

Here are the movies you should not miss this month on Netflix.

"American Psycho" (July 1)

Christian Bale gives a tour-de-force performance as Patrick Bateman, the main focus of Bret Easton Ellis' novel that looks at a shallow investment banker with a psychotic alter ego.

"Back to the Future" (July 1)

It's one of the greatest adventure movies of all time.

Michael J. Fox plays a kid who accidentally gets sent back in time and must help his parents fall in love or he has no future to go back to.

The visionary direction by Robert Zemeckis, the fantastic chemistry between Fox and Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, the amazing score by Alan Silvestri — this is the closest thing to a perfect blockbuster movie.

And make a night of it and watch the sequels, which are also available.

"Big Daddy" (July 1)

A year after his hugely successful comedy "The Waterboy," Adam Sandler returned with this movie in which he plays a guy who, after being dumped by his girlfriend for being unmotivated, tries to prove her wrong by becoming the guardian of a boy who is left on his doorstep.

Let's just say he's not the best influence for the kid.

"Call Me by Your Name" (July 1)

Watch the movie that showcased to all of us the incredible talents of Timothée Chalamet. Here he plays a teen spending his summer in Italy who forms a love affair with his father's intern (Armie Hammer).

"Easy A" (July 1)

This just keeps climbing the charts for us as one of the best high school movies in recent memory. Emma Stone plays a clean-cut student who suddenly finds herself the center of attention after rumors spread about her being a floozy. But in reality, all she's doing is allowing guys to pay her to say they have hooked up with her.

"Magic Mike XXL" (July 1)

Marking the second movie in this trilogy, you could argue that it's the best of the three.

Most of the original cast returns, as Mike (Channing Tatum) takes the gang on a road trip to Myrtle Beach for one final performance for the ladies.

"The Sweetest Thing" (July 1)

In one of the most unappreciated rom-coms of the early 2000s, Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair play three friends who are all in search of love in different ways.

Diaz's character, Christina, thinks she's found the one, played by Thomas Jane. But when she discovers he's left town, she and her friends set out to track him down.

It leads to a wild trip filled with laughs and self-discovery.

"Uncle Buck" (July 1)

This wholesome John Hughes classic stars John Candy as a laid-back bachelor who spends his days at the races or bowling. Suddenly, his brother reluctantly asks him to babysit his rebellious kids, forcing him to become more responsible.

With a premise that could easily have gone down the wacky comedy road, Hughes's genius is that he kept the movie grounded and layered, leading to laughs but also a movie with a lot of heart that stays with you.

"Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" (July 3)

Decades after the third movie, the "Beverly Hills Cop" franchise gets a "Top Gun: Maverick"-like relaunch with hat tips to the first two movies and a lot of R-rated laughs from Eddie Murphy.

"Bad Boys" (July 8)

If you are looking for some more Will Smith and Martin Lawrence comedy after watching "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" in theaters, revisit the original movie. The 1995 movie introduces the duo as the wackiest detectives in The Magic City. Along with the comedy/action talents of Smith and Lawrence, there's also Michael Bay coming into his own as an action director. "Bad Boys II" is also available.

• If you're entertaining this Fourth of July weekend, set-it-and-forget-it dishes can be a lifesaver.
• From ribs to pulled pork, these slow-cooker recipes are perfect for summer gatherings.
• You can also make sides like potato salad and dips in a slow cooker.

From mouthwatering barbecue ribs to savory pulled-pork sandwiches, these slow-cooker recipes are perfect for any Fourth of July cookout.

Many of the cookout foods on this list are meatless, which might be good options this year amid rising grocery store costs. According to The Progressive Farmer, beef prices have risen 32% over the past five years due to inflation, making this summer barbecue season the priciest one in recent memory. 

And, while grilling certainly captures the spirit of the holiday, slow cookers can make preparing sides and meats for all your guests a breeze.

Here are 14 easy cookout foods you can make in a slow cooker this Fourth of July weekend.

For your Fourth of July cookout this year, try making the potato salad using your slow cooker.

You might not know that you can parboil potatoes in a slow cooker. To do so, chop and cover the potatoes with water, a little salt and pepper, and butter and cook them until they're fork-tender, usually about six hours on low.

Then, mix the dressing for your potato salad as you normally would, such as mayonnaise, dill, whole grain mustard, and a splash of red wine vinegar. 

You can also make a German-style potato salad with bacon, light dressing, and baby potatoes.

Dips, such as this spinach-and-artichoke dip, are also easily made in a slow cooker.

"I love to make spinach-and-artichoke dip in my slow cooker," Chungah Rhee, the author of the blog Damn Delicious, told Business Insider. 

"You can just free up so much of your time by using a slow cooker and hang out with your guests instead of laboring in the kitchen," Rhee continued. "Especially for side dishes or dips. You put it all together, set the time and it comes out ready to go."

This set-it-and-forget-it corn-and-jalapeño dip is creamy and easy to make.

"Another favorite of mine is this corn-and-jalapeño dip," Rhee told Insider. 

 

Buffalo-chicken dip is another quick and easy favorite you can make in a slow cooker.

One of the benefits of making a slow-cooker Buffalo-chicken dip, like this recipe on Rhee's blog — or any other side dish in a slow cooker — is that it can be prepared well ahead of time and reheated when you're ready to eat.

Rhee's advice for someone using a slow cooker for the first time for entertaining is actually to start out with a dip or side dish. 

"If for some reason it doesn't turn out, because we all know that can happen using an appliance for the first time, it's not detrimental to your dinner party being a success," she said.

Queso can serve a whole party when made in a slow cooker.

This creamy queso dip from Martha Stewart uses ingredients like American cheese and pepper jack cheese, a can of evaporated milk, diced tomatoes with chilies, sliced jalapeños, red onion, and cilantro. 

Brisket is perfect for feeding a larger family and can easily be made in a slow cooker.

"Brisket is a natural partner for the slow cooker, as a gentle braise renders it meltingly tender," Kim Laidlaw writes in her cookbook, "Everyday Slow Cooking: Modern Recipes for Delicious Meals."

Laidlaw's recipe for slow-cooked braised brisket includes garlic, onion, dry red wine, carrot, and chicken or beef stock, with a chimichurri sauce.

Pulled-pork sliders are another great way to use your slow cooker for a cookout.

One of the best ways to use braised and slow-cooked pork shoulder is to make pulled-pork sliders, like this Damn Delicious recipe, with all that tender meat.

To elevate the dish, top the meat with barbecue sauce and slaw before sandwiching it between two fluffy brioche buns or potato rolls. You can also use the carnitas to make tacos.

You can also make barbecue ribs in a slow cooker.

Nothing screams an end-of-summer cookout like sauce-covered ribs, like Laidlaw's recipe as shared on Cooking by the Book. After cooking them in the slow cooker, place them on a baking sheet in your oven and broil them until they're slightly crispy.

To save space on your grill, you can also make slow-cooked sausages and beer brats in the slow cooker.

Brats with onions, peppers, and garlic simmered in the slow cooker with beer — like this recipe by The Magical Slow Cooker — are one way to use your slow cooker on the Fourth of July.

Top your brats with a bit of sauerkraut and put them on buns for a delicious summer dish.

Mac and cheese can also easily be made in a slow cooker.

If you're looking to add some carbs to your menu, look no further than a piping hot pot of mac and cheese. Martha Stewart's recipe for mac and cheese in a slow cooker calls for evaporated milk, three kinds of cheese, and homemade breadcrumbs.

Garlic-and-herb mushrooms are a delicious side dish but can also be used as a burger topping.

"The recipe for slow-cooker garlic-herb mushrooms is divine and so easy," Rhee said. "Mushrooms made in a slow cooker are truly the best."

Shredded Buffalo chicken goes great on top of salads.

One of the best — and easiest — ways to use your Crock-Pot or slow cooker is by making shredded Buffalo chicken, such as this recipe by The Magical Slow Cooker.

Add seasoned chicken breasts to the slow cooker and cover with your preferred Buffalo sauce. Then add a splash of ranch dressing and a cube of butter, toss your chicken breasts in the mixture to coat fully, and cook until the chicken is shreddable. You can use it for Buffalo-chicken sliders, salads, or tacos.

You can even make Buffalo or barbecue chicken wings using a slow cooker.

You can make any style of wings in a slow cooker, from Asian-style to barbecue and Buffalo wings. Add your wings to the slow cooker, add in your sauce of choice, toss to combine, and let them cook for a couple of hours on high.

To make them crisp up, add a cornstarch and water mixture to your slow cooker. After they're cooked through, broil them for a few minutes in the oven.

Meatballs make a great appetizer for guests and don't require cooking over a hot stove.

Meatballs make the perfect appetizer for parties big and small and are easy to make in a slow cooker. 

Place your seasoned, raw meatballs into the slow cooker, top with sauce, and let the slow cooker finish them off, says one recipe by Spend With Pennies. Serve them on their own with toothpicks or stuff them inside toasted sub rolls for a meatball sandwich.

• One of Eddie Murphy's funniest lines in "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" was improvised.
• In the scene, Murphy's daughter Bria plays a police officer who arrests him.
• Director Mark Molloy told Business Insider that Murphy's improv skills enhanced the movie's humor.

Netflix's "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" is filled with laughs, but there's one joke in particular that was a family affair.

At the end of an action sequence in which Murphy's character Axel Foley is being chased while driving a police meter maid cart, Foley crashes on Rodeo Drive and is quickly apprehended by two female police officers. While being cuffed, Foley tells the officer it's "very embarrassing" what's happening. The officer, played by Murphy's eldest daughter Bria, responds, "You should have thought about that before your little joy ride."

But what Foley is embarrassed about is being thrown into their unusually small squad car. "Ya'll are the LEGO cops," Foley says.

It's a line that director Mark Molloy told Business Insider was completely improvised by Murphy.

"That's all Eddie," Molloy said.

Molloy, who is making his feature directing debut with "Axel F," said that Murphy improvised several times, but it was often nothing more than little one-liners.

"He likes to get it on the page first," Molloy said. "We have to have something on the page first that really works, and then Eddie is going to take it from there."

Molloy said other improvisations from Murphy happened during the helicopter scene with costar Joseph Gordon Levitt and between Murphy and a valet played by comic Affion Crockett.

But how did Muphy's daughter end up playing one of the police officers?

"Eddie mentioned that his daughter would love to be involved," Molloy said. "And there was talk that it was going to be for another role, but I told him, 'If she's going to be involved, I have the perfect role for her.' I think she should arrest you!' So he gets arrested by his daughter."

Bria, 34, is Murphy's eldest daughter from his marriage with ex-wife Nicole Mitchell. Bria has previously starred in movies "The Perfect Match" (2016) and "Amateur Night" (2016).

"Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" is now streaming on Netflix.

• Travis Kelce broke down his Eras Tour appearance on his podcast, "New Heights."
• Kelce revealed that joining his girlfriend Taylor Swift onstage was originally his idea.
• He said he had an "absolute blast," though he was focused on keeping Swift safe during their skit. 

Taylor Swift fans were thrilled when she invited her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, to share the stage at her concert — but according to Kelce, Swifties have him to thank for the idea.

The football star gushed about his June 23 debut on the Eras Tour stage on the latest episode of his podcast "New Heights," which he cohosts with his brother, Jason Kelce.

"I initially mentioned it to Tay. I was like, 'How funny would it be if I just rolled out on one of the bikes during the "1989" album, that era,'" he explained. (Travis is a noted fan of "Blank Space," one of several hit singles from Swift's fifth studio album.)

"She started laughing. She was like, 'Would you seriously be up for doing something like that?'" Travis continued. "I was just like, 'What? I would love to do that. Are you kidding me?' I've seen the show enough — might as well put me to work here."

But Swift found a different way to slot him in. During the last of her three sold-out shows in London, Travis joined two backup dancers, Kameron Saunders and Jan Ravnik, for a skit that takes place during "The Tortured Poets Department" segment.

Travis was tasked with carrying Swift's limp body across the stage for a theatrical costume change.

"There was no bike in case I ran into somebody else or hit one of the dancers or anything," Travis said. "It was the safest option."

In fact, Travis said his biggest concern onstage was Swift's safety.

"The one thing I told myself is, 'Do not drop the baby. Do not drop Taylor on your way over to this damn couch,'" he said. "Get her to the couch safely."

Travis even recalled advice from his former coach, Eric Bieniemy, who helped lead the Kansas City Chiefs to two Super Bowl victories.

"Coach Bieniemy always used to say, 'That ball has our dreams, goals, and aspirations,'" Travis said. "You do not drop that ball."

"It's such a fun, playful part of the show," he continued. "It was the perfect area or perfect time for me to go up there, just be a ham, have some fun — not only with her, Kam, and Jan, but the crowd, and really try and get everybody excited for the rest of the show. It was awesome. I had an absolute blast."

Travis also praised Swift as a "true showman" and said it was "an honor" being onstage with her and her dancers — especially because Saunders' brother, Khalen Saunders, is a top NFL player and Travis' former teammate.

"I was up there with three professionals," Travis said. "You can do no wrong when Taylor's onstage. She's the best to do it."

Although Jason teased his brother, saying he could've ruined the show, Travis said he was pleased with his performance — and, more importantly, so was his girlfriend.

"I didn't disappoint Taylor, so that's all that really matters," he said. "That was my No. 1 goal: Do not fuck this up. Do not drop Taylor, do not fuck this up."

Travis wooed Swift last summer by giving her a shout-out on "New Heights," a move that Swift later described as "metal as hell."

The two began dating shortly after and quickly got serious, with Swift appearing at several NFL games to support the Chiefs.

"When you say a relationship is public, that means I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there and we don't care," Swift told Time. "The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you're seeing someone. And we're just proud of each other."

• After traveling to over 50 cities in Europe, I've enjoyed visiting some lesser-known locations.
• Bath, England, is a great place to visit for Roman ruins and beautiful architecture.
• I also loved traveling to Bruges, Belgium, which is both historic and romantic.

I've visited over 50 cities in Europe, and while I love global tourist hubs like London and Paris, I also try to seek out smaller cities and towns.

With over 13 million Americans predicted to travel to Europe this summer, it could be the right time to check out the off-the-beaten-path destinations on your travel bucket list.

These are five lesser-known destinations in Europe I recommend visiting.

Bath, England, is just a 90-minute train ride from London.

As you probably could have guessed from this city's name, Bath is known for its Roman baths. These baths, dating back to AD 70, are some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world.

Bath is known for its beautiful Georgian architecture, which can be admired in places like the Royal Crescent, which features a crescent-shaped row of 30 houses.

I also loved visiting the Circus, which is made up of townhouses arranged in a circular pattern. These areas showcase Georgian architecture and are what makes walking around Bath feel unique.

If you're a book lover, you can visit during the annual Jane Austen Festival in September, where people dress up, and the city is taken back in time.

The train from London to Bath takes about 90 minutes, making this city the perfect day trip.

Mostar is a beautiful city in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mostar really surprised me. It didn't look like anywhere else I'd been, with the towering Old Bridge connecting the two sides of the city. The 16th-century bridge, rebuilt after the 1990s war, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The city also has a well-preserved Ottoman quarter with charming cobblestone streets. During my time in Mostar, I loved drinking Bosnian coffee, taking in the views of the city, and feasting on local dishes like ćevapi.

Bruges, Belgium, is a romantic city.

Bruges is a well-preserved medieval town. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and visiting feels like stepping back in time.

The best thing I did was take a boat ride on the canal, admiring the architecture while cruising through Minnewaterpark, commonly referred to as the Lake of Love.

Bruges is a laid-back destination that makes a convenient day trip from nearby Paris and Brussels. The city is perfect for couples looking to indulge in Belgian beer and chocolate.

Heidelberg, Germany, embraces modern life without losing its historical charm.

Heidelberg has striking views around every corner. The city is home to a centuries-old castle as well as the oldest university in Germany.

I enjoyed walking along Philosophenweg (also called Philosopher's Way), where professors sought solitude and academic inspiration. The path was especially beautiful during my trip in the fall.

We loved spending time in the city, which had lots of nice restaurants and cool bars. Heidelberg does an amazing job of embracing the new while holding on to its historical charm.

Andorra La Vella is a hidden gem in the Pyrenees mountains.

Andorra La Vella is the capital of Andorra, a country in the Pyrenees between France and Spain.

Every restaurant we dined at featured dishes influenced by the surrounding countries. If you want to try authentic Andorran food, head to a borda — a traditional house once used for agricultural purposes. Now, these buildings are used as charming restaurants.

Andorra la Vella is a great day trip from Barcelona, but the city deserves more than a one-day visit.

• A new study suggests people on Ozempic or Wegovy may be more likely to suddenly go blind.
• The condition, called NAION, is still exceedingly rare. It's also painless and untreatable. 
• Blood sugar issues can impact our vision.

Eye doctors in Boston have started to notice a small but worrisome uptick in cases of a rare type of sudden blindness among patients taking semaglutide.

They're raising questions about whether taking Ozempic or Wegovy might be leading to more cases of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a rare condition where blood stops flowing to the optic nerve, disturbing the connection between the eye and the brain. The issue typically surfaces suddenly, without pain, and results in people waking up in the morning unable to see out of one eye.

The new investigation, published Wednesday in JAMA Ophthalmology, found that people taking semaglutide appeared slightly more likely to develop NAION than other patients with obesity or diabetes. (Semaglutide is the active ingredient in two Novo Nordisk drugs: Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy for obesity.)

Rare, and notable

The number of patients on semaglutide who developed NAION was still tiny: out of more than 16,000 eye patients in Massachusetts included in this six-year retrospective investigation, only 37 people on semaglutide developed NAION. But that was still more than four times more eye problems than other, similar patients who were not on the drugs experienced over the same time period. Only nine individuals with diabetes or obesity who were not on semaglutide developed NAION, according to the researchers.

"This is information we did not have before and it should be included in discussions between patients and their doctors, especially if patients have other known optic nerve problems like glaucoma, or if there is preexisting significant visual loss from other causes," lead study author Dr. Joseph Rizzo, the director of the neuro-ophthalmology service at Mass Eye and Ear and a professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, said in a news release.

"The use of these drugs has exploded throughout industrialized countries and they have provided very significant benefits in many ways, but future discussions between a patient and their physician should include NAION as a potential risk."

Pushback from Novo Nordisk

In a statement sent to Business Insider, semaglutide maker Novo Nordisk said "patient safety is a top priority for Novo Nordisk , and we take all reports about adverse events from the use of our medicines very seriously."

But the drugmaker also raised concerns about the ways this study was conducted, saying there were too few cases in the trial to draw meaningful conclusions, and that this type of backward-looking study could never answer questions about a causal link between semaglutide and NAION.

"NAION is not an adverse drug reaction for the marketed formulations of semaglutide," the company said.

Patients with diabetes and high blood pressure have always been at an increased risk of developing eyesight issues. For example, having chronically high blood sugar can distort your eye lenses, contributing to blurry vision. (Novo Nordisk is also working on another, separate study, testing whether semaglutide might be useful in treating diabetic retinopathy.) NAION is usually permanent, and there is no treatment for it.