AVASTIN INJECTION TREATMENT

What are Avastin Injections?

Avastin is a drug that is injected into the eye to help treat from eye diseases. The drug blocks the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the back of the eye. Those blood vessels can leak and affect vision, causing vision loss.

Avastin is the brand name for the drug, which is called Bevacizumab.

What Conditions does the Intravitreal Injection Help?

Intravitreal Injections are a common method to treat Macular Oedema (swelling at the back of the eye) from retinal diseases such as

Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (Neovascular Macular Degeneration)
Diabetic Macular Oedema
Retinal Vein Occlusion
Myopic Choroidal Neovascularisation
Other conditions

Who is Suitable for Avastin Injections?

Generally most people are suitable to receive this. Extra caution is advised in patients who are pregnant.

Who can Benefit from Avastin Injections?

Patients with Wet Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy or Diabetic Macular Oedema, Central Retinal Vein Occlusion, Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion, Myopic Choroidal Neovascularisation, and other conditions.

What are the Side Effects or Risks of Avastin Injections?

Side effects are generally uncommon and include transient red eye, eye pain, eye floaters, elevated intraocular pressure. More serious side effects are rare and include serious serious eye infections (endophthalmitis) and detached retinas.

There is controversy over whether Avastin is associated with heart attacks or strokes.

How Do Avastin Injections Work?

Abnormal blood vessels need a body chemical called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) to grow.

Avastin blocks VEGF, slowing the growth of blood vessels in the eye. Drugs that block the trouble-causing VEGF are called anti-VEGF drugs.

How is the Avastin Injections Performed?

Avastin Treatment is conducted in our rooms. At your appointment, your Retinal Specialist

will perform the procedure typically using the following steps:

Perform tests to check the condition of the eye such as asking you to read an eye chart
Administer eye drops to numb your eye before the injection
Clean your eye with anti septic to prevent infection
Apply a specialised tool to gently hold it open
Injects the Avastin directly into your eye using a very thin needle that passes through the white part of your eye
You do not see the needle itself and the procedure does not hurt.
The anaesthetic and antiseptic are then washed out of the eye.
An eye patch may or may not be applied after.

Post Avastin Injection Therapy

After the treatment:

Have someone drive you home
Wear sunglasses if your eyes feel sensitive to light
Try to rest your eyes as much as possible (for at least a few hours)

Ask your Retinal Specialist if you should avoid any particular activities.

If your eye feels sore, uncomfortable or gritty, please use the artificial tears given by your Retinal Specialist. You can also take over the counter pain relievers.

If the eye gets more sore, more red, vision deteriorates the next few days, please contact your Retinal Specialist or the Staff.

How Many Avastin Injections do I Need?

This depends on the patient and the condition.

Most patients need at least 3 injections one month apart. After that, the frequency of injections may slowly reduce as the condition comes under control.

Risks and Complications of Avastin

Avastin is a safe drug and appears to have no adverse effects within the eye. It can be safely given for many years.

Complications include:

Common

Eye discomfort for few hours after
Subconjunctival haemorrhage (blood shot eye)
Increased pressure in the eye

These usually resolve within a few days. Use the eye drops provided if they occur, and over the counter pain relievers.

Serious

Serious complications are rare. These include

Retinal tears
Infections
Retinal artery occlusion

You should report to your ophthalmologist or their staff if you experience any of the following symptoms after the procedure:

Flashes in your eye
A sudden increase in floaters in your eye
Severe Redness
Severe Pain
Reduced vision

Any of the above symptoms could be a sign of infection or other serious complications. Please call to discuss with your ophthalmologist or their staff.

Most side effects usually resolve spontaneously or can be managed using lubricating eye drops.

Infection however is serious and can lead to blindness, so it is important to contact your ophthalmologist or their staff if your symptoms persist after a day. This is so you can be examined and treatment started promptly if it is a serious complication.

There has been a theoretical risk of it increasing the rate of stroke and heart attack but increasingly there seems little evidence to support such a contention.