What Is Eylea HD, and Why Does It Matter?
Eylea HD (aflibercept) is an injectable medicine used to treat certain eye conditions that can lead to vision loss. It works by blocking a protein called VEGF, which can cause abnormal blood vessels to grow and leak in the eye. This leakage can lead to swelling in the retina – the part of your eye that helps you see clearly and is termed macular edema.
The FDA has now approved Eylea HD to treat macular edema from retinal vein occlusion (RVO), a common cause of vision loss affecting over 28 million people worldwide. RVO happens when a vein in the retina is blocked, leading to swelling driven by the protein VEGF. Anti-VEGF injections like Eylea HD reduce the swelling and help protect vision.
Eylea HD is the first treatment for RVO that may be given every eight weeks after a period of monthly injections. This could mean fewer trips to the clinic and fewer injections for many people, making treatment easier. Eylea HD was already approved in 2011 for several common eye conditions that cause vision loss, and the FDA has now added a monthly dosing option across all approved uses for patients who need it, including wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye swelling, diabetic retinopathy, and RVO.
Why Was It Approved?
Eylea HD was approved after studies showed it worked just as well as the standard version of Eylea.
In the study, people with RVO who received Eylea HD (8 milligrams) every eight weeks (after getting either three or five monthly doses) had vision improvements about the same as those who got the standard Eylea (2 milligrams) every four weeks. The results were similar for different types of RVO, including central retinal vein occlusion (blockage of the main vein in the retina) and hemi-retinal vein occlusion (blockage of half of the retina's vein).
The most common side effects seen in the study included higher pressure inside the eye, blurry vision, cataracts, floaters, bleeding in the eye, eye discomfort, and vitreous detachment (when the gel inside the eye pulls away from the retina).
What Do I Need to Know?
Eylea HD is given as an injection into your eye by a trained health care provider. If you're being treated for retinal vein occlusion (RVO), you'll likely start with monthly injections. If your condition stays stable, your provider may switch you to injections every eight weeks. Some people may not do well with longer gaps between doses. If your vision worsens or swelling returns, your provider might recommend going back to monthly injections.
You should not use Eylea HD if you have an eye infection, active inflammation in the eye, or if you're allergic to aflibercept or any of the other ingredients in the medicine.
After each injection, your provider will check your eye pressure and look for signs of infection or other problems. Let your provider know right away if you notice eye pain, redness, sensitivity to light, or changes in your vision.
After receiving an Eylea HD eye injection, you may have temporary vision problems. Do not drive or operate machinery until your vision returns to normal.
Eylea HD is one of several treatments available for RVO. It works like the original Eylea but may allow for fewer injections over time, which could be more convenient for some people.