Avastin, a cancer drug that works by blocking abnormal blood vessel growth under the retina, has saved thousands of people’s sight due to wet age-related macular degeneration.

Eyedrops will be used to numb your eye prior to injection.

What is Avastin?

Lucentis (ranibizumab) and Avastin (bevacizumab) have both been approved by the FDA to treat wet macular degeneration: both are anti-angiogenic agents that stop new blood vessel growth in the eye; such abnormal vessels may leak and cause damage to macula, leading to blurry or blank vision. Both drugs work by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the protein responsible for stimulating its creation.

Cost is the main difference between Lucentis and Avastin; Lucentis is more costly while Avastin is much less. Genentech, who makes both medications, spent millions developing Lucentis for macular degeneration treatment; it then funded clinical trials to demonstrate its safety and efficacy; however, as Avastin already enjoys broad market approval as cancer therapy it would make little financial sense to test Avastin as macular degeneration treatment as well.

Although Avastin may be less expensive, it does pose serious side effects, including bleeding in the brain or stomach/intestines. If any serious or life-threatening bleeding occurs while taking this drug, contact your retina specialist immediately for treatment.

Bevacizumab remains a highly effective treatment for wet form age-related macular degeneration, even though its side effects may be serious. Patients receiving regular bevacizumab injections experience significant improvements in visual acuity even after blood vessels beneath retinal surface have subsided.

As of 2017, researchers are working to develop a more long-acting anti-angiogenic drug than bevacizumab that will require less frequent injections and is currently being tested in a phase III trial known as Eylea; early results are promising.

Retinal specialists will continue using bevacizumab to treat choroidal neovascularization associated with exudative AMD as well as proliferative diabetic retinopathy. ASRS stands firmly against artificially-imposed practice changes for non-medical, financial reasons and will advocate against them globally. Furthermore, ASRS supports efforts to develop biomarkers which facilitate earlier macular degeneration progression detection as well as better monitor patient responses to treatments; ultimately enabling retina specialists to make more informed decisions regarding optimal patient care strategies.

How is Avastin Injected?

Intravitreal injection of Avastin involves administering it directly into the eye in an out-patient procedure called an intravitreal injection. First, pain relieving eye drops are used to numb it before a device may be placed to keep eyelids open while pain relieving eye drops are administered and finally, a small needle is inserted into the white portion of the eye (known as the sclera). The injection typically lasts 15-20 seconds without feeling discomfort for most patients.

Avastin is administered with multiple weekly injections over 6-8 weeks. The drug works by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, a protein responsible for abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage that leads to vision loss. Avastin reduces this growth while stopping fluid leakage into the macula, potentially restoring central vision in some patients.

Initial trials of Avastin showed promise as a treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer, but its use has since expanded into improving eyesight. Now known as an “off-label” solution to treat macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion; Avastin shares many chemical similarities with Lucentis (ranibizumab), an FDA-approved cancer drug approved to treat wet age-related macular degeneration; however Avastin is much cheaper alternative.

Though both drugs have been proven effective, many physicians prefer Avastin due to its lower cost. One key distinction between the two drugs is that Lucentis has been extensively tested to demonstrate its efficacy and safety while Avastin has not. Genentech, which produces both drugs, does not plan on funding any additional clinical trials to establish whether Avastin is as safe and efficacious as Lucentis.

Most patients do not experience complications after receiving Avastin injections; however, any increased eye discomfort or decreased vision should be reported immediately to your provider as these could indicate serious problems. Furthermore, regular follow-up appointments as directed by your physician should also be scheduled in order to monitor progress and administer future injections; such visits will help ensure vision loss doesn’t happen sooner rather than later and keep seeing clearly for as long as possible.

What are the Side Effects of Avastin Injections?

Avastin is an anti-angiogenic medication designed to block the formation of new blood vessels that damage retina. It works by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an important stimuli for abnormal blood vessel development that leaks fluid and fibrosis into central retina called macula, leading to wet form age-related macular degeneration and blindness in many patients. Avastin and its counterpart Lucentis have dramatically improved treatment of macular degeneration by saving sight in many individuals who would otherwise go blind.

Injecting is typically quick and painless; your doctor will administer pain reliever eye drops to numb the area around your eye before injecting an antisclera (white portion of eyeball) for 15-20 seconds – though your eye may itch temporarily post-injection but this should quickly subside; after which, the injection site will be protected with a small bandage for safety.

Though side effects from Avastin may be rare, it’s still important to notify your physician if any unusual symptoms arise. Subconjunctival hemorrhage, lens injury and transient rise in intraocular pressure (TRIP) are among the more frequent ocular side effects; others include uveitis, preretinal bleeding, traumatic cataract progression, macular hole, retinal vein occlusion as well as systemic issues like transient rise in blood pressure, heart attack or stroke.

As soon as you become pregnant or are taking medications that impact the blood or platelets, Avastin should be discussed with your healthcare provider as this medication may interact with these treatments and lessen their effectiveness.

Avastin was initially approved to treat cancer, but doctors often use it “off-label” to treat eye diseases like AMD and diabetic retinopathy. The FDA allows physicians to use off-label uses provided that they use it based on sound medical practice while keeping records on patient response.

What are the Benefits of Avastin Injections?

Studies have demonstrated that injecting Avastin improves central vision for those suffering with wet age-related macular degeneration. It works by blocking a chemical that triggers abnormal blood vessels to sprout under the retina and leak blood and fluid that damages macula, often more severely than dry macular degeneration. Wet AMD usually leads to greater vision loss than dry macular degeneration; among three anti-VEGF treatments available to treat wet AMD, three have proven their efficacy: ranibizumab and bevacizumab respectively. Avastin is among three anti-VEGF treatments shown effective in slowing leakage and vision loss related to wet AMD; ranibizumab and bevacizumab are among three other anti-VEGF treatments available for treating wet AMD vision loss; Avastin being one of three anti-VEGF treatments has proven its efficacy with all three drugs used as treatments; the other two include ranibizumab and bevacizumab/bevacizumab/bevacizumab are two other effective options; bevacizumab/bevaccizumab/bevaccizumab/bevaccizumab are two other two anti-VEGF treatments used against vision loss from wet AMD respectively; Avastin is one of three anti-VEGF treatments designed to slow vascular leakage from wet AMD; the other two being ranibizumab/bevacizumab/bevacizumab being effective.

Risks associated with wet macular degeneration increase significantly due to smoking, certain gene mutations and having a family history of it; however, preventive measures may still help. According to research from the National Eye Institute, eating foods rich in vitamins C and E as well as beta-carotene, zinc and copper could slow progression from dry macular degeneration into wet forms of the condition.

Avastin and other anti-VEGF injections work by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF plays an essential role in the formation of abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid and blood beneath the retina – leading to macular edema that leads to vision loss quickly. By blocking VEGF, these new drugs prevent leakage while decreasing macular edema.

Bevacizumab and Avastin eyedrops are administered using a small needle inserted directly into the back of each eye. Your ophthalmologist will then clean your eye to avoid infection while applying anesthetic drops to minimize discomfort during this short treatment that is typically well tolerated; patients may experience temporary redness, swelling, or “floaters” which typically dissipate within several days.

Bevacizumab injections have a relatively low rate of complications, especially infections of the eye. Some complications are serious enough to lead to permanent vision loss or blindness and should be managed carefully by using special techniques for administering injections and following proper aseptic practices when preparing syringes for injections. Regular assessments and follow up of patients is also key for the prevention of serious problems; Avastin should only be used as directed by your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D). Steroid medications may help treat macular edema due to diabetic retinopathy or retinal vein occlusions.