Eylea®

Aflibercept (Eylea) is indicated for the treatment of: neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), diabetic macular edema (DME), myopic choroidal neovascularization (myopic CNV).

How does Eylea work?
Abnormal blood vessels need a body chemical called VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) to grow. Eylea blocks VEGF, slowing the growth of blood vessels in the eye. Drugs that block the trouble-causing VEGF are called anti-VEGF drugs.

What conditions are treated with Eylea?
Eylea is used to treat the following eye problems:

wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
swelling of the retina, called macular edema
diabetic retinopathy
retinal vein occlusion
macular neovascularization (small, abnormal blood vessels that can grow under the retina and lead to vision loss)

What happens during Eylea treatment?
During an outpatient procedure, your ophthalmologist first numbs the eye to block pain. Then your doctor injects the Eylea directly into your eye. Before the procedure, your ophthalmologist will clean your eye to prevent infection and numb your eye with medicine. A very thin needle is passed through the white part of your eye and the drug is injected. Usually you do not see the needle itself. You may need to continue having these injections over many months. At times ophthalmologists will combine Eylea treatment with other treatments for the best chance of saving your vision.

What are the risks of Eylea treatment?
Every treatment can have side effects. It is important to understand the benefits and risks of any treatment you might have.

Common side effects include:

eye redness
feeling like something is in your eye
dry or itchy eyes
eye discomfort
temporarily blurry vision
floaters

Any eye injection, including Eylea, may cause these problems, which are very rare:

eye infection
detached retina (where the retina lifts up from the back of the eye)
cataracts (clouding of the eye’s normally clear lens)
being extra sensitive to light
eye pain
swelling inside the eye

Call your ophthalmologist right away if you have any of these problems within a few days of Eylea treatment.

If you have any questions about your eyes or your vision, be sure to ask. Your ophthalmologist is committed to protecting your sight.