Eylea is a medication that helps people with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It can also be used to treat diabetic eye disease and other retinal issues. It is injected into the eye to delay the loss of eyesight caused by these and other eye disorders.
The medicine is known as aflibercept and is marketed under the brand name Eylea. It prevents abnormal blood vessels in the rear of the eye from growing and leaking fluid. Wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease can cause vision loss due to leaky blood vessels, leading to vision loss.
Another medicine similar to Eylea is Avastin (bevacizumab). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved Avastin to treat a variety of cancers. However, its usage in the treatment of eye disorders is deemed “off-label.”
Eylea and Avastin are both beneficial in decreasing vision loss, according to research.
How Does Eylea Function?
VEGF, a biological molecule, is required for abnormal blood vessel growth. Eylea inhibits the proliferation of blood vessels in the eye by blocking VEGF. Anti-VEGF therapies are medications that prevent the VEGF from creating problems.
The following eye disorders are treated with Eylea:
● Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
● Macular edema (swelling of the retina.)
● Diabetic retinopathy
● Retinal vein occlusion
Eylea Injections and How It Is Done
Your ophthalmologist will numb the eye to prevent pain during the outpatient procedure in your doctor’s office. The Eylea is then injected directly into your eye by your doctor.
Your ophthalmologist will clean your eye and sedate it with medications before the surgery to prevent infection. The medicine is delivered through the conjunctiva of your eye with a very fine needle. For the best chance of saving your vision, ophthalmologists may mix Eylea medication with other treatments.
Possible Side Effects of Eylea
The following are examples of common Eylea side effects:
● eye redness
● the sensation of a foreign object in the eye
● dry eyes
● eye discomfort
● temporary blurry vision
● floaters
Any eye injection, including Eylea, can produce the following complications, which are highly uncommon:
● increased light sensitivity
● eye pain
● swelling or infection inside the eyes
● retinal detachment (where the retina detaches from the back of the eye)
● cataracts (the clouding of the clear lens of the eye)
If you experience any of these symptoms or have any concerns regarding your eyes or vision, do not hesitate to visit your ophthalmologist right away.
