What is Eylea® therapy?
Eylea therapy is a treatment for diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion and wet-type macular degeneration. It involves repeated painless injections of medication into the eye to prevent blindness by stopping abnormally leaky blood vessels that occur in the eye conditions listed above. Other similar medications that are also used in these conditions include Avastin, Lucentis, Vabysmo, and Beovu.
How effective is Eylea therapy?
Eylea was proven in FDA-approved studies to be effective. In wet-type macular degeneration, monthly or bimonthly injections of Eylea over a one-year period offered a 95% chance of losing less than three lines on a standard eye chart. Eylea was also shown to be effective in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion to improve vision and prevent severe complications. The results with Eylea are similar to treatment with Lucentis, Avastin, and Beovu. Eylea therapy often starts with injections every 4-6 weeks. Afterwards, the injections may be given less frequently. In some cases the injections may be stopped, but continued monitoring is necessary. There are several medication options apart from Eylea. The best choice of medication may depend on the underlying diagnosis. For example, patient who have glaucoma may have better pressure control while under treatment with Eylea compared with other drugs.
What are the risks of Eylea therapy?
Severe complications are very rare, but risks of Eylea injection include bleeding, inflammation, infection, retinal detachment, cataract, glaucoma, and loss of vision/loss of the eye. The risk of retinal detachment is about 1 in 5,000 injections, but the results of surgical repair are poor. There may be an increased risk of difficultly with future cataract surgery estimated to be about 1% of cases. In these cases the fibers (zonules) that hold the cataract in place may become weaken from Eylea injection. When this occurs, special techniques are required to remove the cataract and place a lens implant. Rarely, two procedures are required to accomplish the task. Studies are ongoing to determine if there may be an increased risk of stroke with Eylea therapy. The possible risk of stroke may be related to the older age of patients with AMD. Further investigation will provide more information. Pregnancy should be avoided while on Eylea therapy.
What do I expect after an Eylea injection?
Be careful not to rub the eye after the injection because the eye may remain anesthetized for several hours. You may be given eye drops and instructions on how to use them. Physical activity is not limited after the injection. Tylenol or Ibuprofen may be used if there is discomfort after the injection, but severe pain should be reported to your doctor without delay. It is normal to experience a red area on the white of the eye, which disappears in one to two weeks. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the doctor’s office.
For a telemedicine consultation with Dr Pautler, please send email request to spautler@rvaf.com. We accept Medicare and most insurances in Florida. Please include contact information (including phone number) in the email. We are unable to provide consultation for those living outside the state of Florida with the exception of limited one-time consultations with residents of the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, and Washington.
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