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Short answer Starting aflibercept: what to know Common questions Related questions SourcesAflibercept injection is an anti-VEGF medicine given into the eye to treat retinal conditions in which abnormal blood vessels leak and cause swelling, including wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema.
It is also approved for macular edema following retinal vein occlusion and for diabetic retinopathy, and a preterm infant form is used for retinopathy of prematurity. A retina specialist gives the shot in a clinic after numbing drops and antiseptic, and the injection itself takes seconds. Most people start with a dose every 4 to 8 weeks, then move to longer intervals once scans show the swelling is controlled. Aflibercept slows or stabilizes vision loss and can improve vision for some people, but it does not cure the underlying condition, so skipped visits often let fluid return. Bring your imaging history and diabetes or blood pressure numbers to each visit, since those drive how well the injections work.
Starting aflibercept: what to know
Common questions
What is Aflibercept Injection used for?
Aflibercept (sold as Eylea and Eylea HD) blocks vascular endothelial growth factor, a protein that drives abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage in the retina. An eye specialist injects it into the vitreous of the eye after numbing drops. It is approved for wet age-related macular degeneration, macular edema after retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy. Treatment usually starts on a fixed schedule, then intervals stretch out based on how your retina responds on OCT imaging. Mild floaters, a red spot on the white of the eye, and irritation for a day or two are common. Call your eye doctor the same day if you have eye pain, sudden vision loss, or increasing redness after an injection.