What is Beovu therapy?
Beovu (pronounced “BEE oh view”) therapy is a treatment for wet-type macular degeneration (AMD). It was approved by the FDA in the United States in 2019. It involves repeated injections of medication into the eye to stop abnormally leaky blood vessels. Other similar medications include Avastin, Lucentis, Eylea, and Vabysmo.
How effective is Beovu therapy?
Beovu was proven in FDA-approved studies to be as effective as Eylea. In wet-type macular degeneration, injections of Beovu over a one-year period offered a 95% chance of losing less than three lines on a standard eye chart. The results with Beovu were similar to treatment with Eylea; however, Beovu appeared to stop leakage in wet AMD more often than Eylea. Beovu therapy often starts with injections every 4-6 weeks. Afterwards, the injections may be given every two or three months to maintain vision. Half of eyes treated in a large study could be managed with injections every three months. At this time, it is not known whether Beovu is more effective than Eylea due to limitations in the studies to date.
What are the risks of Beovu therapy?
Severe complications are very rare, but risks of Beovu injection include inflammation (~10%), artery occlusion (~3.4%), bleeding, infection, retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataract, and loss of vision/loss of the eye. When inflammation occurs, it may affect the blood flow to the retina with an overall risk of ~3.4% in Beovu-treated eyes. This complication may result in permanent and profound loss of vision. The risk of retinal detachment is about 1 in 5,000 injections, but the results of surgical repair are poor. In initial studies there appeared to be a low risk of stroke with Beovu therapy. The risk of stroke may be related to the older age of patients in which it is used. Further investigation will provide more information. Pregnancy should be avoided while on Beovu therapy. Currently, caution is used in recommending Beovu due to the risk of inflammation and loss of vision, which appears greater than other available medications. In 2022, a new medication, Vabysmo, was approved by the FDA. Vabysmo may offer the advantage of less frequent injections like Beovu, but with a lower risk of inflammation.
What do I expect after a Beovu 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. On the day of 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. After the day of injection, if you develop new floating dots, new pain, and/or loss of vision, contact your doctor.
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